WARRINGTON Borough Council has rejected an appeal urging it to reveal which locations have been considered or voted on as a potential transit site.

The Warrington Guardian submitted a Freedom of Information request to the authority in August asking for it to publicise details on what has been discussed among councillors on the planning for travellers task group.

It came after it disclosed £2 million of the council's budget has been set aside to open a camp for unlawful travellers blighting the lives of residents in recent months.

The request, which was refused, was dealt with under the Environmental Information Regulations as opposed to the Freedom of Information Act.

The Warrington Guardian said the 'public interest' factor outweighed the reasons for refusal but an appeal has been rejected.

Council solicitor Tim Date has examined the three grounds for refusal.

The first says a public authority may refuse a request to disclose information to the extent that the request relates to material which is still in the course of 'completion, unfinished documents or incomplete data'.

And the council also highlighted regulations confirming it can refuse a request when the information relates to an internal communication or where disclosure would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial information where such confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.

Mr Date said: "It is clear that the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

"I believe the council's application of this exception to be thorough and entirely in accordance with the guidance provided by the Information Commissioner on the application of this exception.

"I think it important to say that the very fact that the council may be considering certain sites as appropriate for a transit site to be a significant factor.

"It is that act of consideration which gives rise to the risk of a diminution of the value of properties.

"The council has indicated that the ideas discussed in the material it holds may never be final and it seems to me that the potential decrease in property values is a risk that the council should seek to avoid.

"Notwithstanding a general presumption in favour of disclosure and considerable public interest in transparency, I believe that the public interest test has been applied properly in these circumstances."

Mr Date has upheld the council's original decision from September 3.