5 October 2017, Local government (Borough council)
The complainant made a request to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (the council) for information on a proposed new road. The council refused to comply with the request under the exception in regulation 12(4)(d). The Commissioner has decided that regulation 12(4)(d) is engaged and that, in the specific circumstances of this request, the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure. She does, however, find that the council breached regulation 5(2) as it did not provide its refusal notice within 20 working days of the date of receipt of the request. The Commissioner does not require the council to take any steps as a result of this notice.
EIR 12(4)(a): Not upheld