Information Commissioner's Office

Lambeth London Borough Council

19 December 2017, Local government (Borough council)

The complainant has requested a copy of the London Lockdown July 2016 report concerning the operation of rogue landlords together with statistics relating to such landlords. The council provided some of the statistics requested apart from one set which it initially refused to disclose under section 30- investigations and proceedings, which it also cited as its basis for refusing to disclose the Lockdown report itself. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation, the council changed its position. It explained that it was now withholding the report under section 31 – law enforcement, and that it did not hold the outstanding set of statistics. The Commissioner’s decision is that council is not entitled to rely on section 31 to withhold the report. However the Commissioner is satisfied that it does not hold the statistics. By failing to confirm this to the complainant the council has breached section 1(1)(a). The Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose the London Lockdown July 2016 report.

FOI 1: Upheld FOI 31: Upheld