The complainant requested from Sunderland County Council which is now part of a new combined authority - North East Combined Authority (the Council), information relating to Unpaid Toll Charge Notice (UTCN). The Council stated that to comply with the request would exceed the cost limit, and therefore applied section 12(1) (cost of compliance) of FOIA to the request.
The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council was entitled to rely on section 12(1) of FOIA to refuse to comply with the request. He also finds that the Council complied with its obligations under section 16(1) of FOIA to offer advice and assistance. Therefore, the Commissioner does not require the Council to take any steps as a result of this decision.