London Borough of Redbridge

The complainant has requested planning information in relation to a proposed development site. The London Borough of Redbridge (the Council) provided some information and confirmed that other information was not held. The complainant considers that further information is held. 
The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council has failed to demonstrate that it has carried out adequate searches for the requested information in order to determine whether any information is held and, during the course of the investigation, appears to have advised that further information is held. Therefore, on the balance of probabilities, the Commissioner considers the Council does hold further information falling within the scope of the request.
Furthermore, the Commissioner has found that the Council’s handling of the request breached regulation 5(2) of the EIR. 
The Commissioner requires the Council to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation.
•    Conduct a further search of its records and issue a fresh response to the complainant, disclosing any information held. In respect of any such information which is exempt from disclosure and the Council wishes to withhold, issue an appropriate refusal notice under the EIR.
The public authority must take these steps within 30 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.