Link to IOC for full Decision notice pdf file: Liverpool City Council (Local government) [2025] UKICO 332006 (28 March 2025)
The complainant has requested information about the disposal of specific properties. The above public authority provided some information and relied on section 43 of FOIA to withhold the remainder. The Commissioner's decision is that the information was environmental and so the request should have been dealt with under the EIR. The public authority has not demonstrated that regulation 12(5)(e) of the EIR is engaged. The public authority also breached regulation 14 of the EIR because its refusal notice was inadequate. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation. Disclose copies of the report and the two records of delegated authority. The public authority may make appropriate redactions to comply with its data protection obligations, but these must not include redacting the professional qualifications of the author, or reviewer, of the valuation report. Keywords: West Tree Estates