FOI release

FOI Request - Business Rates Data

Case reference FOI2025/00540

Received 21 May 2025

Published 18 June 2025

Request

Dear Freedom of Information Officer, Please consider this request regarding Business Rates Accounts in line with the ‘Freedom of Information Act 2000’. Please could you provide the information below for every open/live account within your charging authority, preferably on an emailed Excel spreadsheet, along with the date the data was extracted from your system. • Details of any relief applied to the account including type, amount and date the relief was applied • Details of any applied exemptions where applicable • Current account holder/ratepayer • Property reference number • Account start date • Address and postal code • Correspondence or billing address • Current Rateable value (RV) • An indicator as to whether the property is occupied or empty If any of this information is unavailable or cannot be extracted within a reasonable amount of time, please provide as much of the above as you are able to. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any queries.

Response

Thank you for your request. Please note that:

1. Personal data has been removed from the information provided in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). This exemption applies because the information constitutes personal data and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles.

2. Details relating to empty properties have not been disclosed under Section 31(1)(a) of the FOIA. This exemption applies where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. Releasing such information could increase the risk of unlawful activity, such as vandalism or squatting.

   Section 31(1)(a) of the FOIA provides an exemption from the duty to disclose information where such disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.

   In considering the public interest, we recognise the general public interest in transparency and accountability, particularly in relation to the management of public assets such as empty properties. Disclosure of this information could support public understanding of how such properties are monitored and utilised.

   However, there is a strong public interest in ensuring that information is not disclosed if it would assist criminal activity. Releasing details of empty properties could increase the risk of unlawful entry, vandalism, theft, arson, or squatting. This would not only endanger the properties themselves but could also place additional burdens on emergency services and local authorities, and potentially compromise public safety.

   On balance, we find that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosure. The exemption under Section 31(1)(a) is therefore engaged.

Documents

• NNDR redacted 310525.xlsx (429.1 KB)

This is Oxford City Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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