Bolton Borough Council

The complainant has requested information relating to any subsidy paid by Bolton Council (the council) in respect of bowling greens. The council refused the request under regulation 12(4)(b) – manifestly unreasonable, of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (the EIR). The Commissioner has decided that FOIA is the appropriate access regime in this instance, but that the council’s arguments for refusing to comply with the request under regulation 12(4)(b) of the EIR are transferable to section 14(1) - vexatious requests, of FOIA. However, it is the Commissioner’s decision that the council has failed to provide sufficient evidence that section 14(1) of FOIA is engaged. The Commissioner requires the council to either disclose the information held that is relevant to the request, or issue a fresh response to the request that does not rely on section 14 of FOIA.

FOI section 14(1): Complaint upheld