Process for Written Requests for Official Information
All “written” official information requests received by Council under LGOIMA, or requests for information to be treated as requests under LGOIMA, should be addressed to the Information Management Team [email protected].
All requests will be logged and acknowledged before being forwarded to the relevant Group Manager for actioning by the appropriate staff member(s). The staff member(s) delegated by that Manager will assess the amount of time involved to action the request. The requestor will be advised of the estimated cost of providing the information. The rate (including photocopying costs) is set out in the current Fees and Charges Manual. Upon receipt of payment, the request will be actioned.
If the request is straightforward, it may be actioned without delay.
Section 13 of the Act, “Decisions on requests” states:
“...the local authority to which a request is made...shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, and in no case later than 20 working days after the day on which the request is received by that local authority,
(a) Decide whether the request is to be granted and, if it is to be granted, in which manner and for what charge (if any); and
(b) Give or post to the person who made the request notice of the decision on the request.”
If, for any reason, it is the Manager’s opinion to refuse to release information, the request, together with the Manager’s reasons for withholding the information, are to be forwarded to the Chief Executive to make a decision on auctioning of the request.
