FOI Request - Noise Complaints

Request 101003905714

Under the FOIA, please could you provide me with the following information:
1. For each of the past three years, please could you tell me what was the loudest noise (in dB) recorded as part of an investigation into, or monitoring relating to, a noise complaint to the council?
2. Please could you also provide a non-identifying location (i.e street name) and brief description of each of these three episodes (e.g complaint about excessive dog barking in Soandso street, Suchandsuchtown)?
3. What was the outcome of each of these three noise investigations/actions?
4. How many FPNs have been issued by your council in relation to noise complaints in total for each of the past three calendar years?

Response 20-01-2026 

1. The loudest noise measured for each case is not recorded on our work management. To answer this question, officers would require interrogating the information gathered on each case;  this could take 5 to 10 minutes per case, which would take more than 40 hours work. This task would cost the Council in excess of £600 of staff time. In accordance with Section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (excessive cost), we are therefore unable to comply with this part of the request.

2. & 3. as per 1

4. In 2023 a Fixed Penalty Notice was served for Failure to comply with Abatement Notice, in relation to a statutory nuisance regarding noise emanating from work activities. Information on notices served by Moray Council Environmental Health Section is available on the Moray Council Website and therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find a link to the web page here: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_86203.html http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_86203.html