Valuation Office Agency

The complainant submitted a request to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) seeking the council tax valuation bands for each property in the area of Castle Point Borough Council. The VOA withheld the information on the basis of section 44(1)(a) (prohibition on disclosure) of FOIA. The complainant disputed the VOA’s reliance on this exemption and argued that it failed to comply with its duties under section 16 (advice and assistance) in handling his request. The Commissioner’s decision is that the requested information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 44(1)(a) and that the VOA were not under any duty provide the complainant with any advice and assistance in response to his request.