Council statement on ICO Practice Recommendation

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has received a Practice Recommendation from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in relation to its records management arrangements which was published on 02 June 2026.

The Practice Recommendation relates to the Council’s handling of a Freedom of Information request made in 2024 and the subsequent destruction of records in 2025. It identifies a number of areas for improvement, including the review and updating of the Council’s Records Management Policy and Retention and Disposal Schedule, as well as strengthening operational practices for the retention and disposal of records.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is committed to implementing all recommendations included in the ICO’s Practice Recommendation in full and as quickly as possible. The Council is required to formally respond to the ICO by October 2026 on this implementation.

The destruction of certain documents in June 2025 by the Council occurred in error and a detailed explanation has been provided to the ICO setting out how this arose. While the Council welcomes the ICO’s conclusion that this error was coincidental, the Council recognises that this should not have happened and is taking steps to ensure that processes and controls in relation to document retention are strengthened.