Information Request policy

The Council will:

• Wherever possible, the Council will provide information in a format specified by the requester. However, if the specified format is not reasonably practicable, we will provide the information in an accessible format and are obligated to explain why the requested format could not be used.
• Comply with requests for access to information as soon as is practicable and in most cases no later than 20 working days following the date of receipt of the request. A working day refers to Monday through Friday, exempting the weekend and bank/seasonal holidays.

The Council may exceed the 20 working day deadline in circumstances involving public interest decisions, fees, and/or if clarification is required to understand the request. This deadline cannot be extended due to resourcing or staff issues, illness, or personal circumstances.

If a response will take longer than 20 working days, the Council will give a realistic estimate of when a response will be provided. If it becomes apparent that the decision will not be made within the estimated time given, the Council will inform the applicant of any delay as soon as possible and the reasons for the delay will be explained to the requester. The Principal Governance Officer will monitor all instances where estimations are exceeded.

The Council does reserve the right to restart the 20 working day deadline in cases where a request requires clarification or fees are needed from the requester.