ICO Decision: Council correct to withhold park expenditure information

ICO Decision Notices

Filed February 25th, 2026

Detected March 6th, 2026

Summary

The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued a decision finding Ards and North Down Borough Council was correct to withhold certain park expenditure information under commercial confidentiality exemptions. The ICO does not require the council to take further action.

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What changed

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has ruled that Ards and North Down Borough Council was justified in withholding specific financial information related to major maintenance expenditure at Pickie Fun Park. The council cited exemptions under regulation 12(5)(e) of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) concerning commercial confidentiality and regulation 13(1) regarding personal information. The Commissioner upheld the council's decision based on the commercial confidentiality exemption.

This decision means the council is not required to release the withheld information and no further steps will be mandated by the ICO. For regulated entities, this reinforces the applicability of commercial confidentiality exemptions under the EIR when handling such requests, particularly for local government bodies.

Source document (simplified)

Ards and North Down Borough Council

Date 25 February 2026
Sector Local government
Decision(s) EIR 12(5)(e): Not upheld The complainant has requested information relating to major maintenance expenditure at Pickie Fun Park (the park). Ards and North Down Borough Council (the council) provided some of the information but withheld the remaining information under regulation 12(5)(e) of the EIR (confidentiality of commercial or industrial information) and regulation 13(1) of the EIR (personal information). The Commissioner’s decision is that the council was correct to withhold the information by virtue of section 12(5)(e) of the EIR. He does not require the council to take any further steps.