How to access information under the Freedom of Information Act

Introduction – Your right to know

Nottinghamshire County Council is committed to Freedom of Information. This law applies to 100,000 public bodies including the government, police, fire authorities and councils. Have a look at our FOI Policy to see how we approach FOI. For more details have a look at:

• the website of the body which enforces FOI: www.ico.gov.uk or
• the Freedom of Information Act itself: www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/ukpga_20000036_en_1

Publication Scheme

• You will find a lot of information about what we do and the services we offer on our website. We have also adopted the Information Commissioner’s Model Publication Scheme [PDF] which lists the type of information we are committed to making readily available, either on the website or on request.
• We have also published a Guide to Information. If you cannot find the information you need you could try making an FOI request in writing to us.

FOI Requests

If you cannot find the information you need through our website or the Publication Scheme you can write to us to request the information.

We must normally deal with all written requests for information within 20 working days. We will track and monitor the kinds of requests we are getting and decide whether to add information that may be interest to other people to our Publication Scheme.

• You can email: enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk
• or write to: Freedom of Information
  Nottinghamshire County Council
  County Hall
  West Bridgford
  Nottingham
  NG2 7QP.

I need help to make an FOI request

We are keen to help you exercise your legal rights so you can get the information you want. Please speak to our Customer Service Centre on 08449 80 80 80 or e-mail: enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk. Please note that you may be referred to someone else in the Council for assistance.

Cost

We will calculate how long it will take us to find the information you have asked for and how much it will cost us. If the cost to us is £450, which is the same as two and a half days searching and collating the information, the law says we can refuse to provide the information. Rather than flatly refuse however, we will ask you to clarify your request so that we can find and provide the information more easily.  We will ask you to pay postage and any copying charges before we send the information out to you. For more detailed information see our Schedule of Charges [PDF 65KB] .

Exemptions

We may not be able to give you all or any of the information you request. This is because there are some exemptions to your right to know. For example data protection rules will still prevent you seeing someone else’s personal information. Information which is due to be published at a later date will normally not be available to you before that date. If we apply an exemption we will tell you and give you the reason. Some exemptions come in two parts and may mean that we release information even though we could withhold it where it is in the public interest.

• See our guidance on exemptions.

Appeals or complaints

If we refuse all or some of your request for information you have the right to ask us to review our decision. The review will be considered by the Chief Executive, who will not have had prior dealings with your request. If you are dissatisfied with how we have dealt with your request you can also make a complaint. In either case you can write to:

• Corporate Complaints Manager
  Nottinghamshire County Council
  County Hall
  West Bridgford
  Nottingham
  NG2 7QP.

Or e-mail: complaints@nottscc.gov.uk.

If you are still dissatisfied you can appeal to the Information Commissioner: www.ico.gov.uk.