THE row over Hillingdon Council's £1.5million Ruislip Lido improvement programme escalated this week amid accusations of 'paranoia' over the release of information to the public.
Government officials will investigate the council's decision to withhold an 'environmental scoping report', after a complaint.
But it is unlikely the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will be able to force publication before late September, when the council aims to release it.
Peter Silverman, a member and former chairman of the Friends of Ruislip Lido, said he was acting on a matter of principle over the council's refusal to release the information.
While the council argues that the report is unfinished and should not yet be released, Mr Silverman claims: "It is a complete report that has been signed off, and the excuse they are using is that they don't have to supply a draft report still being discussed. They are totally wrong. If it is a finished document you have to release it."
Relations between the council and Lido campaigners have been strained since January, when the initial proposals for improved facilities and a possible reintroduction of boating and swimming were announced, after minimal consultation with residents.
Two petitions attracting nearly 1,500 names have been submitted, and the council has promised regular meetings over the issue.
Mr Silverman, of Kingsend, first requested in May to see a copy of the council's environmental report. The authority responded in writing: "The report, which is termed a 'scoping note', was commissioned by the council to identify works required in respect of Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
"It does not include any FRA and EIA assessment, and this continues to be work in progress and does not identify the feasibility of proposed developments at this stage.
"Information is exempt where it relates to material which is still in the course of completion, to unfinished documents or to incomplete data.
"In this instance we are of the view that as the FRA and EIA are ongoing pieces of work... that it is currently exempt from disclosure.
"The London Borough of Hillingdon has considered the public interest in regards to this matter and we are of the opinion that, on balance, the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information."
A second refusal in June to release the report under the Freedom of Information Act led Mr Silverman to make a formal complaint to the ICO on July 8.
The office has since confirmed it will investigate and make a judgement in six to nine months.
Mr Silverman continued: "The council is determined not to consult. They have a paranoia about sharing information, whether it is embarrassing to them or not.
"By the time the ICO decides it will be irrelevant, but I hope the department will forward the matter to an enforcement team, who can get tough on local authorities."
