Walsall Council

The complainant requested information from Walsall Council (the Council) relating to a Serious Case Review (SCR) conducted by Walsall Safeguarding Partnership, including material supplied by the Council in connection with the SCR. The Council stated that some of the information was held on behalf of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) (section 3(2)(a) (public
authorities)) of FOIA. With respect to the remaining requested information, it refused to provide that, citing sections 38 (health and safety), 40 (personal information), 41 (information provided in confidence) and 44 (prohibitions on disclosure) of FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council holds the review material for the purposes of FOIA but that it is exempt from disclosure by virtue of section 40(2). He has also decided that the Council was entitled to rely on section 40(2) to refuse to disclose the actual review. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken as a result of this decision. Information Tribunal FT/EA/2024/0329 under appeal.