ICO Orders Lincolnshire Council to Redo FOI Searches

ICO Decision Notices

Filed February 26th, 2026

Detected March 6th, 2026

Summary

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has ordered Lincolnshire County Council to redo its Freedom of Information (FOI) searches for a court case. The ICO found that the council likely holds additional information relevant to the request and must issue a fresh response.

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What changed

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a decision notice against Lincolnshire County Council regarding a Freedom of Information (FOI) request concerning court case costs. The ICO determined that the council's initial searches were incomplete and that additional information, within the scope of the request, is likely held. The decision upholds the complainant's appeal.

The ICO requires Lincolnshire County Council to conduct new, comprehensive searches for the requested information and provide a fresh response. This response must either disclose the additional information found or issue a valid refusal notice if exemptions apply. This action mandates a specific compliance step for the council, ensuring adherence to FOI legislation.

What to do next

Conduct new searches for information related to the court case costs request.
Issue a fresh response to the FOI request, disclosing additional information or providing a valid refusal notice.

Source document (simplified)

Lincolnshire County Council

Date 26 February 2026
Sector Local government
Decision(s) FOI 1: Upheld The complainant has requested information about costs relating to a court case. Lincolnshire County Council disclosed information in response. The Council subsequently informed the Commissioner that it considered that its original searches for information were incomplete, and that further information may therefore be held. The Commissioner’s decision is that, on the balance of probabilities, the Council holds additional information which falls within the scope of the request. The Commissioner requires the Council to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: Conduct new searches for any additional information falling within scope of the request and issue a fresh response to the request in which any additional information is either disclosed, or a valid refusal notice issued for any exemption it intends to rely on.