Oxford City Council

The complainant requested information held by Oxford City Council (the council) about complaints it has received relating to alleged misconduct of staff employed by Oxford Direct Services Ltd (ODSL). Whilst the council originally refused the request under section 40(2) (third party personal information) of FOIA, during the Commissioner’s investigation, it revised its position and provided the complainant with some of the requested information. The Commissioner’s decision is that the council is entitled to rely on section 40(2) as its basis for refusing to provide the remaining withheld information. However, as the council failed to provide the information that it did disclose to the complainant within the statutory timescales specified under FOIA, the Commissioner has recorded a breach of section 10(1) (time for compliance).