Derby City Council

The complainant has requested any correspondence held by the council relating to child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs over the last three years between the council, the local social services department, the Home Office, the police and local public schools. The council refused to confirm or deny whether it holds any relevant information on the basis that the exemptions in section 31 (law enforcement), and section 23 (information provided by security bodies) applied. On review it upheld its position. However, during the Commissioner's investigation the council confirmed to the complainant that it holds relevant information but applied section 12 to refuse the request (appropriate limit). The Commissioner’s decision is that the council was correct to apply section 12 to withhold the information.