Information Commissioner's Office

Department for Education

25 July 2017, Central government

The complainant has requested the DfE to disclose a copy of the financial management and governance review findings into the Wakefield City Academy Trust (WCAT) and copies of any written correspondence between the regional schools commissioner and WCAT between 1 January 2015 and the date of his request. The DfE responded refusing to disclose the requested information citing sections 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii), 36(2)(c), 43 and 40 of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that section 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii) and section 36(2)(c) of the FOIA applies to all the withheld information and the public interest rests in maintaining this exemption. She has however found the DfE to be in breach of section 10 of the FOIA, as it failed to respond to the request within 20 working days of receipt. Overall, the Commissioner does not require any further action to be taken in this case .

FOI 36: Not upheld FOI 10: Upheld FOI 16: Not upheld