Information Commissioner's Office

Wrexham County Borough Council

30 April 2007, Local government (Borough council)

The complainant requested information from the public authority relating to the senior employees employed at the Authority. The complainant requested the names of those senior employees that had their principal private residence within the boundary of the council borough and the names of the senior officers that pay council tax in the borough. The public authority initially confirmed the number of senior officers employed, providing details of their name and position within the Authority, and further, provided a breakdown in respect of the numbers living within and outside the County Borough. The Authority refused to confirm the location of the individual’s area of principal residence and sought to rely on sections 40 (2) and (3) (a) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2000. The Authority stated that the information requested constituted personal information and that its disclosure would breach the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Commissioner sought evidence to evaluate the Authority’s position and has decided, in this case, the authority applied the Act appropriately by refusing the request by virtue of section 40.

FOI 40: Not upheld