Information Commissioner's Office

Summary: On 1 December 2005 the complainant requested information relating to a pedestrian bridge in the Pinhoe area of Exeter. On 12 December 2005 the public authority informed the complainant that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit set out in the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (Regulations). The complainant was advised to refine their request to bring it within the confines of the appropriate limit. On 14 December 2005 the complainant wrote back to the public authority, restating the original request and also requesting further information. On 22 December 2005 the public authority wrote back to the complainant and refused on the ground that the estimated cost of locating and retrieving the information would still exceed the appropriate limit. The Commissioner approached the public authority and is satisfied that they correctly estimated that the cost of complying with the complainant's request would exceed the appropriate limit. The Commissioner's view is that the public authority dealt with the complainant's request in accordance with part 1 of the Act and, in particular, the Regulations. An appeal was made to the Information Tribunal, but the appeal was dismissed.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 12 - Complaint Not upheld