Information Commissioner's Office

Summary: The complainant has requested information about proposed mutualisation of Cleveland Fire Brigade and the mutualisation process in general. Cleveland Fire Authority (-�CFA-�) refused to provide this citing section 43 (commercial interests exemption) as its basis for doing so. At internal review it restated reliance on section 43, and introduced reliance on section 41 (information provided in confidence) and section 42 (legal professional privilege). During the course of the Commissioner-�s investigation it withdrew reliance on any exemptions in relation to part of the withheld information. The Commissioner-�s decision is that CFA is entitled to rely on the exemptions it has cited as a basis for withholding the remainder of the requested information. However, the Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose the information referred to in the Confidential Annex to this Notice as the first tranche of information.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 41 - Complaint Partly Upheld, FOI 42 - Complaint Partly Upheld, FOI 43 - Complaint Partly Upheld