Annual Report: 2005-2006

Table 4 confirms the expected effect on completion times due to the pursuit of the backlog reduction plan. Of the 1,319 cases which were closed this reporting year, 65% were backlog cases. Of the 1,454 cases pending at year end, 1,323 were in backlog status. Table 5 illustrates the significantly shorter completion times for complaints not in backlog.

The Information Commissioner’s pleas for resource relief have, as discussed in Chapter I, born fruit. Starting in 2006-07, some additional resources (though less than the Commissioner requested) have been approved until the end of 2007-08. Although it will take some time of training, finding accommodation, and experience to maximize the effectiveness of the new investigative staff, the Information Commissioner expects that the backlog reduction program will be in full swing in 2006. Based on the Information Commissioner’s projections of workload in the coming year, and given the level of resources provided, it will take until the end of 2008-09 to substantially complete the backlog reduction project.