East Suffolk Council

The complainant has requested copies of the contract specifications and service delivery plans that are held by East Suffolk Council (the council) in relation to its waste and recycling collection, ground maintenance and street cleansing. The council confirmed to the complainant that it does not hold copies of the service delivery plans requested. With regard to the contract specifications, the council confirmed that it considered this information to be exempt from disclosure under the exception at regulation 12(5)(e) (confidentiality of commercial information) of the EIR. The council also confirmed that it considered the public interest to favour withholding this information. The Commissioner has decided that the council is not entitled to rely on regulation 12(5)(e) as its basis for withholding the information contained within the contract specification documents relevant to the request.