Fareham Borough Council

The complainant has requested information held by Fareham Borough Council (the council) relating to a closed meeting of the Executive where “commercial opportunities related to wider regeneration of Fareham Town Centre” were considered. The council refused the request, citing regulation 12(5)(d) (confidentiality of proceedings) of the EIR. During the Commissioner’s investigation, the council confirmed that it was now able to release part of the withheld information to the complainant. Whilst the Commissioner is satisfied that regulation 12(5)(d) of the EIR is engaged in respect of all of the withheld information, he considers that the balance of the public interest favours the disclosure of part of this information. The Commissioner requires the council to disclose the withheld information highlighted in yellow which has been provided separately to this decision notice.