I have no doubt that some requests under the a freedom of Information Act are frivolous and trivial as Essex County Council leader David Finch says (Guardian, April 17).

However, without such requests much would remain hidden from the public.

For example 1) The fact that the council has failed to recover any of the falsely claimed expenses from former Tory leader, convicted fraudster Lord Hanningfield

2) The large costs of Hanningfield's vanity scheme 'Banking on Essex '

3) The fact that the lighting blackouts across Essex will not yield savings for years because of the upfront capital costs of implementation.

4) The fact that savings from the blackout in Loughton cannot be quantified.

I offer these as a reason the scheme must be retained.

Michael McGough, Wellfields, Loughton