Freedom of Information

"We will be open and transparent and will be an approachable organisation, professional and focussed on the improvement of the sub-regional economy."

The Freedom of Information Act came into effect on 1st January 2005 and allows the public access to all types of information held by Public Bodies, whether published or not.

The Freedom of Information Act provides a general right of access to all types of recorded information held electronically or otherwise, subject to certain exemptions.

What are our obligations?

The LSEP is required to:

• Provide a guide to information that is routinely published in a Publication Scheme
• Respond to written requests for information within 20 working days of receiving the request
• Provide appropriate assistance to applicants in helping them to frame their request
• Inform the applicant whether or not the LSEP holds the information
• Provide the information in a format that the applicant specifies, that could be in the form of a copy or a summary.

What LSEP requires from you as an applicant making a request?

A large amount of LSEP’s information is already contained within our publication scheme and available through our website. Information will first be provided through this route where available. If you have trouble locating this information please refer to the contacts below for assistance.

Where information is not available through the publication scheme, or by reference to the LSEP directly, you may wish to take advantage of the general right of access to information held by us. In framing your general request for information under this right of access you must:

• Make your request in writing. If you need assistance with making a valid request please contact the Communications Officer in the first instance. The Citizens Advice Bureau or your local Councillor may also be able to provide assistance. State your name, and an address for correspondence. State clearly what information you require. Please be as specific as possible as this will help with our search and avoid the need to come back to you for clarification

You may send in your written request by e-mail, by post, by hand or by fax. Contact details are provided below.

Charges for providing information

We anticipate that requests for information will be processed free of charge. If we intend to charge the costs will be kept to a minimum and we can only recover the relevant costs of postage, printing and photocopying.

You may be able to reduce charges after discussing with us your information requirements.

If a fee is required to provide the information a fee request will be issued to you and the fee must be paid before the request for information can be processed.

If you fail to pay the fee within 3 months your initial request would lapse.

What information is exempt from disclosure?

Some information is exempt from disclosure under the Act. These exemptions are not there to provide an excuse for the LSEP not to disclose the information but to protect information that it is not appropriate to release.

Exemptions come under two types, absolute and qualified exemptions.

• If an absolute exemption applies the LSEP is not required to process the request for information any further.
• For qualified exemptions, before we refuse to disclose the information we must first check whether the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs that for refusing to disclose it.

In either case we will provide information to you on which exemptions are relevant.

What If you are not satisfied with our response - how can you complain?

We take our obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 very seriously.

Where you are dissatisfied with the way in which your request has been handled please follow the complaints procedure outlined below.

We will do everything we can to resolve your complaint on an informal basis in the first instance. You will initially need to follow the informal procedure noted below.

INFORMAL PROCEDURE

The following procedure applies:

Contact the individual that dealt with your information request (usually the Communications Officer) and they will attempt to resolve your complaint on an informal basis.
You will normally receive a response within 15 working days.
If you are still unsatisfied with the response that you have been given please follow the formal complaints procedure outlined below.

FORMAL PROCEDURE

If you were dissatisfied with the outcome of the informal complaints process you should make a formal complaint. The following procedure applies:

Put your complaint in writing, providing any supporting evidence, to the Chief Executive at the address noted below. An investigation will be conducted and you will receive a response to your complaint within 20 working days.

If after pursuing the above complaints process you are still dissatisfied with the response you have been given you may refer the matter to the Information Commissioner for a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Act. The contact details are:

By Post:
FOI / EIR Complaints Resolution
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

By Telephone:
01625 545 745

By Fax:
01625 524 510

By e-mail:
mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk

LSEP contacts for Information Requests

David Rider	Communications Officer	0116 257 5625	davidr@lsep.co.uk
Rebecca Wilkinson	Office Manager	0116 257 5675	rebeccaw@lsep.co.uk
	Office Administrator	0116 257 5699	admin@lsep.co.uk
Kishor Tailor	Chief Executive	0116 257 5674	kishort@lsep.co.uk

Leicester Shire Economic Partnership
Charnwood Court
5b New Walk
Leicester.
LE1 6TE