ICO Decision Notice: Greater Manchester Combined Authority FOI Failure

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a decision notice finding that the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) failed to comply with section 10(1) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This failure stemmed from inadequate initial searches for information related to the Voices of Resilience event, leading to a delayed disclosure of some requested data. Although the ICO determined that no further information is held by the authority and no further steps are required, the finding of non-compliance highlights a procedural failing.

While this decision does not impose new penalties or require further action from the GMCA as all relevant information has been disclosed, it serves as a reminder for public authorities to ensure their information retrieval processes are robust and compliant with FOIA requirements. Compliance officers in similar government agencies should review their internal FOI handling procedures to prevent similar findings of non-compliance, particularly concerning the adequacy of initial searches.