Isle of Wight Council

The complainant requested information relating to planning complaints about their property. Isle of Wight Council (the “council”) disclosed some information and withheld other information under section 40 (personal information) and section 41 (information provided in confidence) of FOIA. The council subsequently reconsidered the request under the EIR and confirmed that it was withholding information under regulation 12(5)(f) (interests of the information provider) and regulation 13 (personal information). The Commissioner’s decision is that the council was entitled to rely on regulation 13 and regulation 5(3) to withhold the information but that in initially handling the request under the FOIA, it breached regulation 14(1). The Commissioner does not require the council to take further steps.