The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) came into force on 1 January 2005. It gives people improved access rights to council documents, aiming to promote openness in government.
Making a request
If you put in a request under the FOIA, we strive to disclose as much information as possible within 20 working days. However some information is exempt from disclosure and if this is the case we will tell you why. We may also refuse your request if gathering the information will take more time and resource than is in the public interest, or in some cases we may charge you for the collating and distribution of the information.
Your request must be made in writing (this includes letter, fax or email) and you can tell us by which method you prefer us to respond. Our default method is by email, which helps us to get the information to you quicker and is better for the environment.
You can also request information by printing off an application form from the bottom of this page and post it back to us.
BEFORE putting in an FOI request:
Publication scheme
Our publication scheme lays out the information that the authority holds that we proactively make available to the public. See what information is already available by following the link at the bottom of this page.
Make sure your request is not in breach of data protection
We have a duty to protect the personal information of individuals. Under Section 40 of the FOIA, we may refuse your request if our response would mean the disclosure of information which could identify individuals.
Consider if your request falls under the Environmental Information Regulations
If your request relates to environmental information such as the state of elements including air, water, land and animals (including humans!), emissions including noise, energy, radiation and waste, contamination of the food chain, policies and procedures likely to affect the state of the environment, and economic analyses, etc, this will fall under the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and not the FOIA.
The EIR is entirely separate from the FOIA, however the way you put your request to us is the same so don’t worry if you’re unsure which regulations apply. As with FOI requests, the statutory response time is 20 working days however the procedures to deal with requests under EIR are slightly different, there are certain exemptions and charges may apply for some information. Learn more on the Information Commissioner’s Office website.
Appeals
If your information request is refused you can ask us for an internal review of this decision as soon as possible (and within two months). Write to Timothy Date, Solicitor to the council, Warrington Borough Council, Quattro, Buttermarket Street, WA1 1BN giving details of your complaint.
If, following the internal review, you are still unhappy with the response you can appeal to the Information Commissioner.
Contact us
Email: foi@warrington.gov.uk
Telephone: 01925 443322
Write: Freedom of information, Legal services, Warrington Borough Council, Quattro, Buttermarket Street, WA1 2NL
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