West Lancashire Borough Council

The complainant requested information held by West Lancashire Borough Council (the council) relating to business (non-residential) property rates data. Whilst the council provided some information, it withheld certain information under section 30(1)(a)-prevention and detection of a crime and section 40(2)-personal information, of the FOIA. The Commissioner has decided that whilst the council was correct to apply section 31(1)(a), the public interest in the information being disclosed outweighs that in maintaining the exemption in this instance. However, the Commissioner has gone on to conclude that the council has correctly applied section 40(2) to information relating to sole traders and partnerships. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: to disclose the withheld information to the complainant, with the relevant third party personal information redacted.