Dyddiad
Date
14th July 2017
Gofynnwch am
Please ask for
Alun Williams
Via e-mail only:
Llinell uniongyrchol
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Direct line
01545 574151
Fy nghyf
My ref
AW/M-NH
Eich cyf
Your ref
IR/11425
Ebost
xxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Email
Dear Mr Chait,
Re: Case Reference No: FS50685331
I write in response to your request dated 7th April 2017 for an internal review of the handling of
your request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) on account that the
Authority has failed to respond fully to your request. I sincerely apologise for not responding to
your request for internal review earlier and I also regret to hear of the difficulties you have
experienced in obtaining the information you have requested.
I have reviewed your original request and the response that was issued to you and I can see that
the response that was originally offered to you on 31st March 2017 was not fully in line with FOIA
on account that no exemption was cited in order to explain the rationale for non-disclosure. I am
sorry for this oversight and hope to reassure you that further work is underway within the Authority
to ensure all staff dealing with FOIA are adequately trained to respond in accordance with
legislation, particularly when it is necessary to issue a refusal notice.
Having reviewed your request and upon considering any reasons to justify withholding this
information, I can advise you that I have attached a spreadsheet on all the occupied and vacant
properties as requested. However, you will see that the spreadsheet on empty properties does
not include information relating to empty properties owned by individual. Having reviewed
previous Decision Notices issued under FOIA, useful guidance is provided in the case of England
v Bexley & the ICO in respect of the level of injustice that could be caused to an individual as
opposed to a company if disclosure of the information resulted in damage to their property etc. and
is therefore exempt under s.31(a)(e) ‘
Prevention or Detection of Crime’
I hope that disclosure of the information attached is helpful to you and again, I wish to apologise to
you for the time it has taken to respond and for failing to adequately respond to your initial request.
I am aware that you have approached the Information Commissioner’s Office in respect of this
case and I have therefore copied them into this response.
Kind Regards.
Yours sincerely
Alun Williams
Pennaeth Cefnogi Polisi
Head of Policy Support cc
Suzanne McKay, Senior Case Officer, Information Commissioner’s Office
(Case ref: FS50685331)