Freedom of information and Environmental Information Regulations

Freedom of Information Act

The Act requires all public authorities to be open with information and therefore gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by us. It also sets out exemptions from that right and places various obligations upon us.

For further information, please visit the Information Commissioner’s website.

Environmental information regulations (EIR)

Definition

Access to information that is classed as Environmental Information falls under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. The European Directive 2003/4/EC states that:

Environmental information – shall mean any information we have in written, visual, aural, electronic or any other material form on the environment including legislation, reports and activities to do with the environment in our district.

For more information on FOIs and EIRs, please visit the Information Commissioner’s website.

How to request information

There are a number of ways in which you can send in your request. You can:

• complete our online request form
• email us at foi@whitehorsedc.gov.uk or
• write to the council’s Freedom of Information Officer at the postal address which can be found in the ‘keep in touch’ section at the bottom of this page.

We will acknowledge your request upon receipt and provide you with the information, subject to exemptions, within 20 working days.

You might not need to wait if the information is already on our website. Please see our requesting information page.

Charging

If your request is likely to exceed £450 (18 hours at £25 per hour) we will help you refine your request and we will always undertake the public interest test before refusing any manifestly unreasonable requests. We wish to make as much information as possible available free of charge. However, some publications have a cover charge and where photocopies of documents are required, these will be charged for.