Information Commissioner's Office

Doncaster College

19 March 2008, Education (College)

The complainant requested information from Doncaster College concerning reports of its investigation of allegations made against its former principal. The college refused this request under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Commissioner considers that the requested information is the personal data of the former principal and of other data subjects and that disclosure would breach the first data protection principle. The Commissioner therefore finds section 40(2) has been applied correctly to the majority of the requested information. The Commissioner has concluded that the college incorrectly relied on section 40(2) in respect of the details of Mr Gates’ severance payment. He therefore requires this information to be provided to the complainant. Information Tribunal appeal number EA/2008/0038 has been dismissed.

FOI 1: Partly upheld