Birmingham City Council

The complainant requested a draft report together with any communications with the Chief Executive relating to Harborne Clock Tower in Birmingham. The council had paid substantial amounts of money to private contractors for scaffolding surrounding the tower for an extended period of time due to health and safety concerns and the council then made a decision to sell the Clock Tower as surplus to requirements. The Commissioner’s decision is that Birmingham City Council has correctly applied the exception for unfinished documents to the draft report. He has also decided that the exception for internal communications applies to the communications with the Chief Executive.