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Freedom of Information (FoI)

These pages explain your rights to access recorded information under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act and how we manage them at West Oxfordshire District Council.

The FoI Act was passed in November 2000 and came into effect fully on 1 January 2005. It gives people a right of access to information held by public bodies including ourselves unless that information is subject to any of the FoI and Environmental Information Regulations Exemptions contained in the Act.

The Act requires that we produce a FoI Publication Scheme which sets out the categories of information we publish, the manner in which it is published and details of any charges for accessing the information. This scheme will help you find out what information is available. If you are having difficulty or cannot find the information you are looking for in the Publication Scheme, then please either;

- complete the online form or
- complete the downloadable form on this page and send it to;

The FoI Officer,
West Oxfordshire District Council,
Elmfield,
New Yatt Rd,
Witney
OX28 1PB

We will normally respond to your request in full within 20 working days. However, if there is any concern about what information is required, or there are any related FoI Charges or we have to apply an exemption that is subject to the Public Interest Test this time may be extended.

(A note about copyright the supply of information under FoI does not constitute permission for its use in a way that would infringe copyright and you should obtain permission from the copyholder before any such use.)

If you are disappointed with the response to your enquiry you can ask us to review our decision and actions. You must do this within 40 working days of the date of our response stating the reason for your dissatisfaction and we will respond within 20 working days of receipt. If you are still dissatisfied or we are unable to resolve any other complaint then you can contact the Information Commissioner who is the independent regulator of the Act.

In addition to the FoI Act, the Environmental Information Regulations make similar provisions for the release of environmental information. Although separate from the FoI Act these Regulations together with the Data Protection Act, which deals with access to personal information, are part of the same whole.