Oxford City Council

The complainant has requested the number of employees who have been formally or informally disciplined due to sickness absence every month for a period of five years. Oxford City Council refused the request under section 12(1) (cost of compliance) but provided the information it was able to provide within the cost limit under the duty to provide advice and assistance (section 16). The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council is entitled to refuse to comply with the request under section 12(1) and has complied with the requirement of section 16. However the Council breached section 17(1) by issuing a refusal notice outside the statutory time period. The Commissioner does not require further steps.