Summary/Decision
1. On 16 January 2024, the Complainant requested certain information from the office of the Chief Executive (the SPA) about a business licence application. Specifically the Complainant requested “copies of any and all records (including (but not limited to) emails) relating to any (a) meetings (b) deliberations, and/or (c) decisions of the HAWAG (Housing and Work Advisory Group), including (but not limited to) formal minutes and informal meeting notes, relating to any applications for new business licences determined in the month of November 2016 and which resulted in a business licence being granted for the carrying on of a “family office” undertaking (the Request).
2. The SPA wrote to the complainant on 27 February 2024 (the Response) stating that certain of the information sought in the Request was being withheld (the Withheld Information), citing the exemptions at Art.25 and Art.31 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 (the FOI Law).
3. Following receipt of certain questions from the Complainant, the SPA issued a revised response on 15 May 2024 (the Revised Response). The Complainant did not agree with the Revised Response and requested an internal review 9 June 2024 (the IR Request).
4. The SPA issued the outcome of the Internal Review on 22 July 2024 (the IR Response). The Complainant did not agree with the IR Response and issued an appeal to the Information Commissioner (the Commissioner) on 30 July 2024 (the Appeal).
5. The Commissioner’s decision is that the appeal is partially upheld. The SPA must provide the Complainant with the information set out in this Decision Notice, within 35 days1.
