Introduction
The Council is committed to providing the public with as much information as possible under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004, and managing personal information in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 you have a general right of access to recorded information held by the Council (subject to exemptions) known as a Freedom Of Information request (FOI).
Under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 you have the right to request environmental information held by the Council (subject to exceptions) known as an Environmental Information Regulations request (EIR).
Under the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to access and obtain a copy of your personal information and other supplementary information held by the Council (subject to exemptions) known as a Subject Access Request (SAR).
General Guidance
The Information Commissioner’s Office makes the following recommendations to any member of the public considering submitting a request for information:
- Search first. Public authorities publish a great deal of information. You may find what you’re looking for by searching online or looking at the website’s sitemap. If the information is already in the public domain, it may be quicker to find it than ask for it.
- Keep it clear. Please make your request as clear, concise and focused as possible and clearly describe the recorded information you are seeking. Numbered lists or bullet-points might help you to structure your request. Although an information request can form part of wider correspondence, requesters are strongly encouraged to make requests for information clearly identifiable and, where possible, to submit them separately from complaints, commentary or lengthy email chains. This helps the Council to recognise and understand the request, identify its scope and respond accurately and promptly. Where requests for information are not clearly expressed, there is a risk that the Council may not readily identify that a wider communication contains a request for recorded information, particularly where requests are embedded within lengthy correspondence or commentary. The Information Commissioner’s Office recommends that requests are clear, concise and focused, contain a clear description of the information sought, and do not include unnecessary information about wider complaints.
- Be nice. Even if you’re dissatisfied with the organisation, try to put that to one side and focus on the information you want to receive. If possible, keep your information request separate from any ongoing email threads or complaints about wider issues.
- Read it twice. Before you send a request, take another look at it to make sure it’s clear and easy to follow. If you’re unsure, you could seek a second opinion from someone you know. They might spot something confusing that you can fix before you send the request. If the public authority has to ask you to clarify your request, it will take longer for you to receive the information you want.
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
If you plan to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make any type of information request, please be aware that using AI can cause issues such as:
- making your submission long and repetitive
- referencing information we don’t need
- misinterpreting legislation
- making it harder for us to find the information we do need
If you wish to use AI for your request, please read the guidance regarding FOIs and AI on the Information Commissioner’s Office website. This advice can help us to avoid unnecessary delays caused by the use of AI.
Potential Charges
Keeping your request as specific as possible will help reduce potential costs to you.
The Council can charge you for the cost of processing and sending information requested under the Freedom of Information Act (such as photocopying/printing and postage). The Council may also charge for staff time spent locating, retrieving or preparing environmental information under the Environmental Information Regulations.
In most cases the Council does not charge for Subject Access Requests, but it can charge a reasonable fee for the administrative costs of complying with a request if it is manifestly unfounded or excessive; or a person requests further copies of their information.
The Council will not routinely charge for responding to requests, but reserves the right to do so.
Make an Information Request
If you would like to make an FOI, SAR or EIR request, please email
You do not need to use a particular form or wording, but the Information Commissioner’s Office website provides various templates and detailed guidance to help you make an effective request.
After Submitting A Request
The Council will respond to your request according to the timeframes outlined in the relevant legislation – for FOIs and EIRs this is 20 working days; for SARs this is one calendar month.
The Council may need to extend the time taken to respond to an FOI if it needs to consider the balance of the public interest in disclosing or withholding information you have requested. If this is necessary, the Council will write to let you know within the initial 20 working days; similarly, within the calendar month for an SAR.
Under EIR, the Council can take up to 40 working days if the request is complex.
For complex SARs, an extension of up to 2 months can be applied.
If the Council reasonably requires further information to identify or locate the information you have requested, it may ask you to clarify your request. Where clarification is required, the response timescale will be paused, beginning again once the necessary clarification has been received.
You have the right to access information that already exists. The Council doesn’t have to create new information to respond to your request. It is not required to answer questions unless it already holds the answer as recorded information.
Sometimes the Council just doesn’t hold the information you’ve requested – if that is the case, the Council will explain this to you.
There are also exceptions and exemptions that apply to different categories of information as outlined previously.
If the estimated cost of complying with an FOI request would exceed the statutory appropriate limit of £450, the Council can refuse the request under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. For most public authorities, the regulations allow staff time to be taken into account at a rate of £25 per person per hour when calculating the cost.
Under the EIR, there is no equivalent fixed cost limit. The Council may refuse an EIR request under Regulation 12(4)(b) where it is manifestly unreasonable. This can include cases where the cost or burden of dealing with the request would be clearly or obviously unreasonable, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case.
Similarly, under the UK GDPR, there is no fixed cost threshold for a SAR. A SAR may be refused where it is manifestly unfounded or excessive. Whether a request is manifestly excessive depends on the circumstances, including whether the burden or cost of responding would be disproportionate to the individual’s right of access.
The Council can also refuse an FOI request where it is vexatious, where the request is likely to cause a disproportionate or unjustifiable level of distress, disruption or irritation. In deciding whether a request is vexatious, the Council will consider the circumstances and context of the request, including factors such as its purpose and value, the burden imposed on the Council and whether that burden is justified.
If you are unhappy with the way the Council has handled your request, you can ask the Council to carry out an internal review of its response. Details of how to request an internal review will be included in the Council’s response.
If you remain dissatisfied following the Council’s internal review, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.