Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board

The complainant has requested information about continuing healthcare. The above public authority relied on section 21 of FOIA (reasonably accessible) to withhold some of the information and section 12(1) of FOIA (costs) to refuse the remainder of the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that the public authority was entitled to rely on sections 21 and 12 of FOIA in the manner that it has done. The public authority breached section 17 of FOIA as its refusal notice was inadequate. The public authority failed to provide reasonable advice and assistance and therefore failed to comply with section 16 of FOIA. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: either provide the complainant with advice and assistance to help her refine her request, such that it falls within the cost limit, or explain why the request cannot be meaningfully refined.