AM's anger over personal details

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A Welsh Assembly Member has called for an inquiry into how details of how she pays her council tax were made public.

Denbighshire council's chief executive authorised the release after a freedom of information request by a councillor before a post office closures debate.

Labour Vale of Clwyd AM Ann Jones has complained to the freedom of information commissioner.

But the council said that releasing the "limited information" had been "in the public interest".

Ms Jones said she had found out about the release of information when "trawling" through some old council minutes during the summer.

The council said the request had asked how AMs and MPs living in Denbighshire paid their council tax, and it released an "anonymised" list. This is a genuine concern over freedom of information because the details that had been released affect my family as well Ann Jones AM

Ms Jones told the BBC's Politics Show Wales: "I was unhappy because I didn't know about it and I think that when freedom of information requests are made then the person... is often notified".

When she asked council chief executive Ian Miller to investigate, she said he "came back with a very curt response that he had authorised the information".

She said the information was not relevant to the post offices debate.

She said a local MP and herself "had indicated that there are other ways in which the county council could assist post offices to remain open in communities and that clearly wasn't listened to".

"I think this is political point-scoring by allowing the then deputy leader of Denbighshire County Council who was in a party politically opposed to mine to have some information that really isn't in the interest of the public," she added.

She has also complained to the public service ombudsman to ask if the chief executive had "overstepped his mark".

Asked if this was part of a feud with the council, she said: "No, this is a genuine concern over freedom of information because the details that had been released affect my family as well."

'In the public interest'

She added: "Yes there have been difficulties (with the council). I've been outspoken when I think Denbighshire has needed it... and we've found that Denbighshire sometimes will ignore what the MP and myself are saying".

In a statement, the council said it was "satisfied that it applied the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act in this case".

Denbighshire said: "It was considered whether an exemption was appropriate and it was concluded that releasing this limited information was in the public interest because a substantial number of the aforementioned AMs and MPs were taking a public stance on the council and its use of post offices for services when (as the information showed), like the majority of people, they choose to pay council tax by direct debit because it is more convenient.

"No bank account details, addresses or council tax amounts have been released.

"The council will happily discuss the position further with the information commissioner's office if a complaint is made to the information commissioner.

"The existence of this particular disclosure has been on the public record for over 18 months."