Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

The complainant has requested information about several planning applications. Reigate & Banstead Borough Council (“the Council”) disclosed some information. It withheld a small amount of information, citing regulation 12(4)(e) (Internal communications) of the EIR.
The Commissioner’s decision is that regulation 12(4)(e) is engaged, but the public interest in maintaining the exception is not sufficiently strong to overcome the presumption in favour of disclosure at regulation 12(2). He also finds that the Council breached regulation 11(4) of the EIR by failing to complete the internal review within 40 working days. The Commissioner requires the Council to disclose the withheld information, with appropriate redactions to conceal personal data.