ICO The complainant made a request for procedural documents or guidance relating to the dress code of police officers within the public authority in differing operational situations. The public authority refused to respond to the complainant’s request as it was submitted via email and they had instigated a restricted access policy in relation to the complainant. This policy required the complainant to address his correspondence to a named individual within the public authority and required the complainant to correspond solely by conventional mail. The complainant re-submitted his request as required by the public authority’s policy. The public authority responded to the complainant’s request within the statutory timescale. The complainant complained to the Commissioner that his initial request should have been treated as a valid request under the Act. The Commissioner finds that no breach of the Act has occurred as a response was provided to the complainant in a timely manner. He does, however, point out to the public authority that the complainant’s initial request was valid and should have been treated as such.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 1 – Complaint Not upheld, FOI 10 – Complaint Not upheld
[2011] UKICO FS50359921
Bailii
England and Wales
Updated: 26 October 2021; Ref: scu.530351