Freedom of Information Act 2000

The easiest way to submit a Freedom of Information request is online.

Submit a Freedom of Information request

If you do not have a MyAccount you can still submit the request by choosing the 'Continue as Guest' option.

You will receive an automated acknowledgement, including the reference number from our FOI system once you submit your request.

When making your request, you must include:

• Your name
• An address where you can be contacted (either postal or e-mail)
• A detailed description of the information you want

We will tell you if you have to pay anything. Most requests are free and we will send our answer by e-mail if possible, but you might be asked to pay a small amount for photocopies or postage in some cases.

We can refuse your request if we think it will cost us more than £450 to deal with. We might then ask you for more details so we can provide the right information you're looking for.

You should be sent a full reply within 20 working days (the deadline starts on the first working day after we receive your form). If we need more time, we will tell you how long it will take.

Some information might be sensitive. If we are not able to give you all the information, we’ll tell you why. You can also ask for environmental information under the Environmental Information Regulations – things like air or water quality, noise and waste as well as any policies, decisions or activities that could affect them.

Asking for clarification

If your request is unclear and we need further details to establish if we hold the information, we may ask you for clarification.

The 20 working day timescale will not start until we have sufficient information to handle your request. If we do not receive clarification within two months, your request will be closed.

You can ask for the information in a number of different ways:

• Paper or electronic copies of any original documents
• As a searchable spreadsheet
• Audio format
• Large print

What you can do with the information

If you plan to publish the information we send you, make sure you check who owns the copyright. Our answer will tell you what you need to do.