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The London Borough Of Hillingdon and the Freedom of Information Act 2000: Complaints Procedure
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If you are dissatisfied with a response to a request for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, you can make a complaint. This document sets out how you should make your complaint and how we will deal with it.
Introduction
You can make a complaint in circumstances where information has been withheld because of an exemption or, you are not satisfied with the response you have received or when the time taken for us to respond is over 20 working days.
The London Borough of Hillingdon’s FOI complaints procedure is designed to achieve three aims. Firstly, to inform you about the Act and your rights; secondly, to review any decisions made regarding the application of exemptions and finally to rectify any errors made in the FOI procedure.
There are four stages to the complaints process
1. Informal Discussion 2. Write to the FOI Officer 3. Write to the Deputy Borough Solicitor 4. Information Commissioners Office
Informal Contact
Before instigating a formal complaint in writing, you first contact the officer who dealt with your request or the Council’s FOI Officer to voice your concerns. It may be that through a process of informal discussion they can satisfy your concerns regarding the response by providing with you information regarding your application and your rights.
Freedom of Information Officer
If you are unable to resolve the complaint informally, then you should write to the Freedom of Information Officer who will address your concerns formally within 15 working days.
Freedom of Information Officer Legal Services 3E/04 London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW
Deputy Borough Solicitor
If you unhappy with the Freedom of Information Officer’s response, then you should write to the Deputy Borough Solicitor. In your letter you should explain your concerns and give an explanation as to why you believe that the Freedom of Information Officer’s response was unsatisfactory. The Deputy Borough Solicitor will then conduct an independent review of your application for information and your subsequent complaint. You will receive a response within 15 working days. Deputy Borough Solicitor Legal Services 3E/04 London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW
Information Commissioners Office
If you are still dissatisfied, you can seek an independent, external review from the Information Commissioner although the internal review must normally be completed before such an appeal can be made. Requests for a review by the Information Commissioner should be made in writing directly to:
The Information Commissioner Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF Tel: 01625 545 700 Fax: 01625 545 510
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