Resources Directorate
Paul Norris
2nd Floor (West)
whatdotheyknow.com
Civic
Hall
Leeds
LS1
1JF
Contact: Paul Burns
xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
Our
reference:
FOI 7782
2 May 2012
Dear Paul Norris
Freedom of Information Request: Empty Commercial Property I am writing regarding your Freedom of Information (the Act) request which I received on 25
April 2012. In your request you asked for the following information:
1. The addresses and a brief description (e.g., shop, office, etc), BA reference and rateable
value of all vacant commercial premises with a current rateable value over £40,000 within
the Leeds City Council area.
2. The names and addresses of the organisations or companies who are liable to pay rates
at the premises referred to in (1)
The attached spreadsheet contains details of all properties with a rateable value over
£40,000 which showed as unoccupied on our Non Domestic Rates records as at 25th April
2012.
The disclosure of information regarding individuals is exempt under section 40 (Personal
Information) of the Act. Details of any property owned by an individual have been removed.
The contact address has not been disclosed. Many of the accounts are issued to
professional rating agents or other third parties with whom the ratepayer has a commercial
relationship and we believe that it would be a breach of confidentiality to disclose this
information and therefore the exemption under Section 41 is applicable. Furthermore Section
21 (Information reasonably accessible) is also applicable as the registered offices of all
limited companies are publicly available via Companies House.
I trust my reply serves to assist in your enquiry. If you have any queries about this letter,
please feel free to contact me.
www.leeds.gov.uk
0113 222 4444
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to
make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to:
Freepost RLZR-ELTX-RUEH
Leeds City Council
PO Box 657
LS1 9BS
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act
for a decision. Generally the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
complaints procedure provided by Leeds City Council.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Paul Burns
Freedom of Information & Data Protection Officer
www.leeds.gov.uk
0113 222 4444