The complainant has requested information on the number of reports produced under section 7 of the Children Act (CA) by a named social worker prior to December 2010. Manchester City Council originally refused to provide the information on the basis that it was exempt under section 40(2) – personal data. However during the Commissioner’s investigation the Council changed its position and claimed that it was not obliged to comply with the request on the basis that to do so would exceed the cost limit for handling requests established by section 12. The Commissioner’s decision is that Manchester City Council is correct to rely on section 12 to refuse this request. In any event the Commissioner is satisfied that the requested information would be exempt under section 40(2) on the grounds that disclosing the information would be unfair to the named social worker. The Commissioner does not require the public authority to take any further steps in this matter.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 12 – Complaint Not upheld, FOI 40 – Complaint Not upheld
[2013] UKICO FS50487185
Bailii
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 06 December 2021; Ref: scu.528585
