Cyfarwyddwyr Addysg

13 February 2022

Dear 

ATISN 16076 Request for names and addresses of all heads of education authorities in councils in Wales

Information requested

Thank you for your request which I received on 13/02/22.  You asked for:

 Names and addresses of heads of education authorities in councils in Wales. 

Our response

I have decided that the information described is exempt from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act.  The reason for applying these exemptions is set out in full at Annex 1 to this letter. 

Next steps 

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response.  Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at: 

Information Rights Unit, 
Welsh Government, 
Cathays Park, 
Cardiff, 
CF10 3NQ 

or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.    

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:  

Information Commissioner’s Office, 
Wycliffe House, 
Water Lane, 
Wilmslow, 
Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF.

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely

Annex 1

Application of exemptions/exceptions

The Freedom of information Act/Environmental Information Regulations provide a right for anyone to ask a public authority to make requested information available to the wider public. As the release of requested information is to the world, not just the requester, public authorities need to consider the effects of making the information freely available to everybody. Any personal interest the requester has for accessing the information cannot override those wider considerations.

I have decided to withhold the following information:  

Names and addresses of heads of education authorities of councils in Wales under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act

This Annex sets out the reasons for the engagement of section 21of the Freedom of Information Act and our subsequent consideration of the Public Interest Test.  

Engagement of section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act

Information reasonably accessible by other means

The Welsh Government believes that Names and addresses of education authorities of councils in Wales should be exempt from disclosure.  This is because the information is reasonably accessible by other means.  I attach the following link which will help you find the information you are looking for Directors of Education - Contact Details - WLGA 

Public interest arguments in favour of withholding 

The information is already in the public domain and is reasonably accessible by other means.