Oxford City Council

The complainant requested a breakdown of the costs of scaffolding and portacabins for work on a covered market. Oxford City Council (the “Council”) provided some information and withheld the requested costs under the exemption for commercial interests (section 43). The Commissioner has concluded that the withheld information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 43(2) and that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favours maintaining the exemption. However, in failing to issue a refusal notice in time, he finds that the Council breached section 1, 10 and 17 of FOIA. The Commissioner does not require any further steps to be taken.