See answers to previous information requests

1. In terms of the Freedom of Information Act of 2000, and subject to section 40(2) on personal data, could you please provide me with your local authority’s complete and most-recently updated list of all business (non-residential) property rates data, including the following fields:
- Billing Authority Property Reference Code (linking the property to the public VOA database reference)
- Firm's Trading Name (i.e. property occupant or ratepayer)
- Full Property Address (Number, Street, Postal Code, Town)
- Occupation / Vacancy status
- Date of Occupation / Vacancy
- Reliefs and / or exemption categories (classifications) granted or applied
- Date that reliefs and / or exemption categories granted or applied
- Value of reliefs and / or exemption categories granted or applied (in Pounds)
- Actual annual rates charged (in Pounds)
If you are unable to provide an absolute “Occupation / Vacancy” status, please provide the balance of the information requested..
Please could you also provide a list of definitions for the codes for the Exemptions and / or Reliefs you use.
Please provide these data as machine-readable as either a CSV or Microsoft Excel file, capable of re-use, and under terms of the Open Government Licence (reuse for any and all purposes, including commercial).
I last requested these data three months ago, and this is a request for your latest updated dataset.
The Council reviewed the information that it published as part of its Business Rates datasets following decision notices published by the Information Commissioner and other Councils responses to Freedom of Information requests.
We are applying the following exemptions in relation to this request; Section 40 (personal details), Section 31(1)(a), Section 41(1) (information provided in confidence) and Section 21 (accessible by other means).
The information used for Business Rates is provided by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and the expectation of using that data is in relation to Business Rates and not disclosed. This information was provided to the Council with an expectation of confidence for the purposes of calculating rates or reliefs to arrive at an amount payable. We consider that the withheld information is more than trivial in nature and is not accessible to the public by other means. This exemption is not subject to the public interest test, but section 41(b) has an assumption that the public interest in maintaining the duty of confidence will prevail unless the public interest in disclosure outweighs maintaining that duty. Certain information can already be accessed by contacting the Valuation Office.
The main concern that has been raised around the country relating to credit information is in relation to the increased risk of fraud that could occur. The provision of a list of empty properties would make it easier for criminals to identify targets for property crimes. Disclosure of credit balances, write offs, and write ons, also exposes both the Council and businesses to the risk of fraud. As a result, we consider that disclosure of this information would be likely to prejudice the prevention of crime.
The Council recognises the public interest in openness and transparency however, we consider this does not outweigh the stronger case against disclosure of these exemptions.
If you are acting on behalf of the Occupier of the property please make the request directly to the Business Rates Team with a current Letter of Authority directly to Brates@wokingham.gov.uk