The Head of Organisational Development is the council's information champion, however the Information Manager within the Organisational Development Department is responsible for the day to day operation of FOI. Directorate FOI Co-ordinators have also been nominated to co-ordinate requests for information within their own areas.
From January 2005 anyone is entitled to make a request for information, and no one need state their reasons for applying.
Individuals can apply for access to any information recorded in any form held. Individuals have the right to seek access to actual documents and records held by the Council.
Requests for information must be in writing (including email), and clear enough to enable the Council to identify and locate the information requested. The Council may make further enquiries to deal with a request.
We always try to reply as quickly as possible but we have a deadline of 20 working days. As we hold so much information, it may take us some time to find what you have asked for. The law lays down maximum times for most requests, although in some special circumstances we are allowed to take longer.
If you ask for personal information under the Data Protection Act, we must respond within 40 days. If you ask for information on the state of water, air, animals or plants, we must respond within 2 months.
It depends. You may get all the information, some of the information, or no information. You do not have a right to be given exempt information. The exemptions are set out in the Act and will be briefly explained in our Freedom of Information Policy.
If the Council decides not to disclose information in response to a request, then we must state the reason and specify which exemption is being relied upon.
The publication scheme includes information on the charge for each publication.
We may charge you for other information in-line with our charging policy. We will inform you whether a charge applies before we provide the information, and we will inform you what the charge is likely to be.
Where possible, we will meet requests to provide information in a specific format, for example on CD-ROM. We may charge the cost of providing the information in a different format.
If you would like to discuss any issues on the FOI Act, then please contact Information Matters on 01375 652500 or via email information.matters@thurrock.gov.uk
01375 652652
01375 652359
