Interesting response to FoI request

by jwfw

08 Aug 2012

I have followed your guidance and submitted a FoI request for the section of road where my vehicle was damaged by a 4-inch deep and substantial pothole, and I had to have two new alloys fitted.

I received an interesting response from the council... drawing my attention to new legislation! Has anyone seen this before??


YOUR REQUEST UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2004
Thank you for your request for information, which was received in this office on the 7 August 2012. As this is a request for environmental information, it will be handled in accordance with the above named Regulations.
The County Council is permitted to make a charge for complying with your request. The charge is normally a sum reflecting the costs which we expect to incur in informing you whether we hold the information requested, and communicating it to you. This includes the costs of photocopying, postage and production in any preferred format. In most cases, no account is taken of the cost of officer time.
At this stage, we anticipate the charge will be waived in this case. However, this may change if, in the course of processing your request, we discover that the costs incurred are more than merely incidental. We shall advise you if that is the case.
We will respond to your request as soon as possible, and no later than 20 working days after the date of receipt of your request. Please note that this timescale is suspended during any period between the date of issue of a charge notice and the date payment is received.
This 20 working day period may be extended to 40 working days if the complexity and volume of the information requested means that it is impracticable either to comply with your request within 20 working days or to make a decision to refuse to do so. Where this applies, we will notify you within 20 working days of the date of receipt of your request.