16 November 2016, Local government (Borough council)
The complainant submitted two requests to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (the Council) requesting information relating to two roads in the Council’s borough. The Council aggregated the requests and cited section 12 of the FOIA (cost of compliance exceeds the appropriate limit). The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council has correctly applied the exemption at section 12 of the FOIA where the cost of compliance exceeds the appropriate limit. However, the Commissioner has also decided that the Council did not provide adequate advice and assistance under section 16 of the FOIA. The Commissioner requires the Council to take the following step to ensure compliance with the legislation: provide the complainant with appropriate advice and assistance with regard to the requested information that can be provided, to enable an appropriately refined request to be made if necessary.
FOI 12: Not upheld