The Freedom of Information Act 2000 confers two statutory rights on applicants:
- To be told whether or not the public authority holds that information; and if so,
- To have that information communicated to them.
The Act confers a general right of access to information held by public bodies, subject to certain exemptions.
Authorities have a duty to advise and assist applicants seeking information.
Requests for information must be responded to within 20 working days.
Each public authority must adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme which details what information is currently available, in what format it is held and whether a fee applies to its release.
Our approach to Freedom of Information is aligned with other legislation and guidance relating to access to information, such as the Data Protection Act and Environmental Information Regulations.
We have published a Freedom of Information Policy which outlines how we will handle requests for information under the Act.
If you are unhappy with the Council’s response to your Freedom of Information request you can contact the Information Governance Team and an independent review will be carried out.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of this review you may appeal to the Information Commissioner.