What is the Freedom of Information Act?
It is a new law that affects all public sector organisations and came into force on the 1st January 2005. It gives you greater access to information held by public organisations like councils. The Act lets you find out more about what we do and how we arrive at decisions.
To make it easier for you to access information, we are publishing more and more information in accordance with our Publication Scheme.
What is the Publication Scheme?
The Scheme is a simple way of categorising information that is available to you. You can find the Scheme on our website or it can be viewed at our offices and local libraries. It tells you about what information is generally made available, where you might find it and whether charges apply. The best place to start looking for information is on our website.
What if I can’t find what I’m looking for?
You can make a request in writing (here are our contact details) by e-mail, or by using our application form (a request must contain your name and address and it will help in dealing with your application if you could refer to the Freedom of Information Act.
Can I see all the information the Council holds?
You may ask to see any information that a council holds, but some information may be subject to exemptions that are written into the Act.
There are a number of exemptions in the Act which cover a range of areas such as information that is ‘reasonably accessible’ elsewhere (e.g. within the Publication Scheme). Some other examples are information that is commercially sensitive, connected with crime prevention and law enforcement, or certain types of investigations conducted by the Council.
Does the Act let other people see personal information about me?
Personal information is generally protected by the common law duty of confidentiality, the Human Rights Act and the Data Protection Act.
Can I use the Act to see personal information about me?
No, but the Data Protection Act gives you the right to see information that has been recorded about you.
Will it cost me anything?
It might do, depending on the nature of the request and how much work is involved in finding, preparing and making the information available to you. In Dorset, all councils use the same scale of fees and charges. We will let you know the cost before we start work.
How long do I have to wait?
Usually the information will be sent to you within 20 working days of your request. It may take longer if we need to clarify your request, or if we have asked for a fee and are waiting to receive it, or if we need to consider whether any exemptions apply to the information you have asked for.
How will the information be provided to me?
You can tell us how you would like to receive the information and we will try to comply with your wishes. If it is not possible we will notify you and offer an alternative.
How do I appeal or make a complaint?
We hope we can resolve most issues by talking to you, but if you wish to make a formal complaint about the way we have dealt with your request you should do this in writing. Your complaint will be dealt with under our ‘Complaints Procedure’. If you are unhappy with the outcome of your complaint you can appeal to the Information Commissioner at this address: The Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF - www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
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