THE University of Bolton has released details of its financial affairs after losing its fight against answering a number of Freedom of Information requests.

Former lecturer Joe Whittaker has received responses to his questions concerning financial transactions and disposition of university funds after winning a 13-month battle against the institution to answer his Freedom of Information requests.

But Mr Whittaker said his fight is continuing after the university refused to answer part of his question relating to travel on the university account, on grounds that the cost of finding out that information exceeded the cost set under the Freedom of Information request.

Mr Whittaker has been able to take his complaint straight to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Mr Whittaker says that as a lecturer he had to fill out a comprehensive form detailing travel and costs and cannot understand why the information, he believes will now be digitally stored, is difficult to access. This, he says, is in contrast to the time the university may have spent from fighting the release of the information.

He said that trips publicised by the university did not seem to tally with the information supplied.

A spokesman for the university said: “Mr Whittaker’s assertions aim to seek attention and create negative inferences about the university; it is disappointing that, as predicted by the Information Commissioner in paragraph 57 of his decision notice, the university’s responses to Mr Whittaker’s requests have not brought an end to the matter and are likely to lead to further requests and correspondence.”

Mr Whittaker said: “It is unfortunate that the vice chancellor of Bolton, George Holmes, and ex-Bishop of Manchester Nigel McCulloch, chairman of governors, University of Bolton, had to be forced by the courts to provide information that should be readily available to the public.

“It is unfortunate that the governance at the university struggle to recognise they are accountable to public scrutiny for the public funds they receive.

“When the vice chancellor is loaned £960,000 from university funds to buy his private house, that is legitimate grounds for critical public questioning.

“The courts dismissed the University of Bolton’s claim of vexatious questions.”

The university spokesman said: “The university has provided the information held and readily accessible relating to the costs incurred by it during the requested five-year timeframe which it has now disclosed.”

The university said its processes and procedures were audited each academic year.