The Policy
We take our responsibilities under the FoIA seriously and will carefully consider requests for information and will:
- Respond to requests for information promptly and within 20 working days from the day after the day of receipt. Where we are not able to do so we will inform requesters of the reasons and keep them updated of progress in dealing with their request;
- Maintain a ‘Publication Scheme’ that provides information which is readily accessible without the need for a formal FoIA request;
- Continue to protect the personal data entrusted to us, by disclosing it only in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018;
- Consult with third parties before disclosing information that could affect their rights and interests. However, we reserve the right to take the final decision on disclosure;
- Reserve the right to make a reasonable charge for information requests in line with the FoIA Fees Regulations or other applicable regulations, including charging for requests made under the Data Protection Act 2018;
- Where we are not minded to disclose information where exemption(s) apply, seek to explain the exemption and how we are applying it;
- Provide an internal review process for requesters; and
- Ensure that all staff are aware of their obligations under the Act to make information available.
We are a small organisation which may mean that, on occasions, the capacity to respond to all information requests within the timeframes stipulated in paragraph 7 may not be possible. If delays are likely to occur, the requester will be notified and provided with an indication of response times.