Under the Freedom of Information Act, you will have the right to ask for information to be provided in a particular way and we will try to meet your request. You will be able to ask for assistance if you have any difficulty in formulating or making an application by contacting the Authority's Information Officer. We will help you as much as possible but we are not required to look for the information you request unless we have:
- a clear and understandable written request with enough detail to locate the information;
- your name and address so we can respond to your request; and
- an indication about the form in which you want the information.
This will ensure that your application is dealt with as quickly as possible. You should give as much detail as you can in order to assist us in locating the information that you require. Some documents may include exempt information so you will only get the information which is not exempt. You only have a right to information and not necessarily to documents. Some documents may include exempt information so you will only get the information from them which is not exempt.
Any fee charged will be calculated by looking at the costs directly and reasonably incurred, locating the information you have asked for and giving it to you. You will then be sent a 'fees notice' which you will have to pay within three months of your request - you will not receive information until you have paid the costs in the fees notice.
If the estimated cost of providing the information would be above the appropriate limit set by the Government then we will not be under a duty to provide the information. However, the Authority will inform you if the limit will be exceeded and we will try to let you know what can be provided within the limit. Despite not being obliged to provide information which exceeds the limit the Authority will still be under a duty to advise and assist.
In order to protect the Authority there will be rules which govern multiple applications for information which are clearly trying to avoid the financial limits set by the Government. However, we will try to help you as much as possible to get the information you want.
