The council has come under fire after it was revealed it will not be reprimanded for breaching the Data Protection Act.

In January, council staff sent an email to 300 people who registered an interest in its FairerPower energy initiative through the council’s website.

However, due to ‘human error’ the e-mail addresses of each recipient was shared with the others, breaching the Data Protection Act.

And now the Independent Commissioner’s Office has said it will not take action against the council for the breach.

In its report into a complaint on the matter from Ukip Coun Brian Silvester, the ICO says: “It does appear likely that the council breached the DPA... this is because all recipients’ email addresses were visible, therefore disclosing each individual’s personal data to a number of unauthorised third parties. In response to this matter the council has explained that it is currently taking steps to strengthen its Data Protection policy and Intranet guidance specifically in relation to the use of distribution lists.

“It has also advised that the team responsible for the breach has been given a refresher data protection briefing relating to this incident.

“We are pleased that the council has taken this action as we feel that it will mitigate the risk of a similar incident occurring again in the future and will help to improve its information rights practices.”

The report goes on to say that no further action will be taken. The authority was fined £80,000 in 2012 after an email was sent to 180 unintended recipients.

And Ukip Coun Brian Silvester has criticised Cheshire East Council for breaching the Data Protection Act.

He said: “I think that the Information Commissioner should have taken action against CEC. “More than 300 addresses [were] involved.

“This is also not the first time that CEC has been found guilty of a breach.

“I have asked the IC to reconsider their decision not to take any further action.”

After the ICO’s findings were published a Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: “Only one person complained.

“This was a minor breach and there was no need for formal notification to the Information Commissioner’s Office.”