Bristol City Council

The complainant has requested information and communications between the council and third parties, and between officers within the council relating to the proposed felling of a tree. The council withheld some of the information under the exceptions in Regulation 13 (personal data of third parties), Regulation 12(4)(e) (Internal communications), 12(5)(e) (commercial confidentiality), and Regulation 12(5)(f) (the interests of the person who provided the information). It did however disclose some information in response to the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that the council was correct to apply Regulation 13 to withhold personal data, and Regulation 12(4)(e) to withhold internal communications. The Commissioner has not found it necessary to consider the application of Regulations 12(5)(e) and 12(5)(f) to the information given the application of Regulation 13 to the same information. The Commissioner does not require the council to take any steps.