Freedom of Information
The Council provides public access to its information through two statutory routes:
Environmental Information Regulations cover matters relating to the environment, including carbon emissions and environmental impacts on public health.
Please note: that you are not required to specify which legislation you are making your request under.
Freedom of Information Requests
Before you make a request
You might find what you need without making a request:
- Search for information on our website. Please also refer to our FOI Publication Scheme.
- Check our online log of previous requests.
- Look at our planning records
- Read our air quality reports
You can email or phone us to ask for assistance or to ask if we’ve already published the information or responded to an FOI request.
Who can ask
Any individual or organisation can request information by the council.
What you can ask for
You can ask for any information the council has. This could be about:
- How the council spends money
- How decisions are made
- What services the council provides
How to Ask
- You can make a request by filling out our online form
- Or, you can contact us by email or letter. Make sure to tell us:
- Your full name
- Your email or home address
- What information you want to know
Cost
Most requests are free. If finding the information costs a lot of money, we might need to charge you. We'll let you know before we do this.
When You'll Get an Answer
We'll reply within 20 working days (about 4 weeks). We will tell you when to expect the information if we need more time.
Environmental Information Requests
What You Can Ask About
You can ask for information about:
- Air quality
- Water and rivers
- Plants and animals
- Noise
- Waste and recycling
- Buildings and roads
- How these things affect people's health
How to Ask
- You can ask in person, by phone, or in writing
- Fill out our online form
- Tell us:
- Your full name
- Your email or home address
- What environmental information you want
Cost
- We charge £83 (plus VAT) per hour to find this information
- We'll tell you how much it will cost before we start looking
- For a simple house search, we'll charge for one hour
- You need to pay before we can send you the information
When You'll Get an Answer
Once you've paid, we'll reply within 20 working days (about 4 weeks).
When we are unable to provide an answer to FOI or EIR requests
The Council may be unable to disclose information where:
- Legal exemptions apply
- The request requires clarification
- Costs exceed reasonable limits
In such cases, we will:
- Provide a detailed explanation
- Request clarification where appropriate
- Outline options to change the request so we are able to provide a response
Make a Freedom of Information request
Appeals Process
If you are dissatisfied with our response:
- Request an internal review of your case
- Following internal review, you may refer the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office.
For further guidance on your information rights, please consult the Information Commissioner's Office website.
