A city MP has criticised Birmingham City Council's decision not to release documents about houses built on toxic land under the Freedom of Information Act.

Last month Steve McCabe (Lab Hall Green) vowed to find answers to the concerns of residents living on the Hall Green estate, which was built on a former landfill site, by writing to the council's data protection and freedom of information department.

He outlined his wish to look at all documents, file notes and minutes of meetings produced by the council in relation to houses built in Graith Close, The Launde, Bach Mill Drive, Willson Croft and Priory Road.

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The move came after experts found traces of chemicals including arsenic in garden soil and young children were banned from playing in the gardens because of fears of infertility and organ failure.

But the council has refused to provide Mr McCabe with the documents because it said his request was too general, and would also go against the Data Protection Act because some documents featured residents' personal details.

In a letter to the MP, council officials said: "This is an extremely general request and we are of the opinion that some of the information sought is exempt from release as it falls under the definition of personal data and, as such, Birmingham City Council is prohibited from disclosing that information."

Mr McCabe has now launched an appeal against the decision by writing to corporate governance and information manager, Malkiat Thiarai.

He said: "I request that the decision by the environment protection unit to refuse to provide access be internally reviewed.

"My intention in making this FoI request was to determine exactly what action has been taken by the council in the previous six months in relation to remediation investigations, prompted by requests from constituents at a perceived lack of progress.

"There have been huge falls in property prices resulting from the determination and a lack of information coming from the council to advise residents of any progress.

"All of these factors have contributed to a sense of confusion, concern and frustration among residents.

"The fact that a resolution is seemingly no closer over one year on is widely considered to be unacceptable and as the elected representative of the residents I consider it necessary to ascertain why these delays are occurring to ensure that firstly, they can be rectified, and secondly that we can prevent them from occurring again.

"I also consider that the public interest in disclosing the information, albeit personal data, would outweigh any other grounds for exemption.

"I express serious concern about the council's response to my request for all determinations and decisions made by the council, in which it is stated that there have been no formal determinations of land contamination within the city within the previous six months."

Mr McCabe's appeal for information comes after two Birmingham City councillors argued over responsibility for the contamination.

At a meeting last month, Coun Susan Burfoot (Lab Billesley) asked what progress had been made concerning remediation work, a question which was attacked by Coun Len Gregory (Con Billesley) who said problems in dealing with the clean-up had been caused by a Labour environmental Act.

But his claims were rejected in Tuesday's full council meeting, where Mrs Burfoot said: "The legislation you referred to was brought in by the Conservative Government under John Major in 1995."