Information Commissioner's Office

Essex County Council

16 November 2017, Local government (County council)

The complainant requested information relating to an estimate of the costs of particular works carried out on behalf of Essex County Council (the council) by a third party company. The council has provided the complainant with some information. However, it has refused to disclose further information held under section 43(2). The Commissioner’s decision is that the council has correctly applied section 43(2) to the withheld information and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. The complainant was also concerned that there was additional information held that had not been considered for disclosure. The Commissioner is satisfied that, on the balance of probabilities, the council has identified all that information that is relevant to the complainant’s request.

FOI 1: Not upheld FOI 43: Not upheld