Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police

The complainant requested specific documents relating to Exercise Cygnus. The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police (SYP) initially stated that it did not hold some of the information and that that which it did hold was exempt. However, SYP later reversed its position and said that it did not hold any information within the scope of the request at all. The Commissioner’s decision is that SYP does hold a very small amount of information falling within the scope of the request – but that information is already available to the complainant. As SYP failed to make a correct determination of the information it held within 20 working days, it breached section 10 of FOIA. The Commissioner does not require further steps.