Information Commissioner's Office

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

14 December 2015, Local government (District council)

The complainant submitted a request to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (the Council) seeking information about a proposed development at Moneystone Quarry. The Council provided the complainant with some of the information falling within the scope of his request but sought to withhold the remainder on the basis of regulation 12(5)(f) of the EIR. The Commissioner has previously issued a decision notice (FER0570512) ordering the Council to disclose this information. Having done so, the complainant alleged that the Council would hold further information falling within the scope of his request. During the course of the Commissioner’s subsequent investigation of this further complaint, the Council located a small amount of further information and disclosed this to the complainant. It also located some further information and sought to withhold this on the basis of regulation 12(5)(f) of the EIR. The Commissioner is satisfied that the Council is entitled to rely on 12(5)(f). He has also concluded that the Council does not hold any further information beyond that previously disclosed to the complainant (at whatever stage) and the information to which regulation 12(5)(f) has now been applied.

EIR 5: Not upheld EIR 12(5)(f): Not upheld