THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 WHAT IS IT? The Act gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities. Access to information from January 2005 Anyone will have the right, from January 2005, to be told within 20 working days whether information is held by a public authority and a right to have that information supplied upon request, subject to certain discretionary and legal exemptions. Your request for information must be in writing (including e-mail) and should include your full name and contact address. You do not have to have a connection to the information you are seeking nor do you have to state how you intend to use this information. A duty to publish information Public authorities, such as the SEELB, must adopt a Publication scheme to proactively publish information. The scheme, which must be approved by the Information Commissioner, will specify the classes of information the authority intends to publish, the manner of publication and whether the information is available to the public free of charge or on payment of a fee. Click here to view the Board’s Publication Scheme. To find out in more detail about the Freedom of Information Act visit the Information Commissioner’s website on www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Freedom of Information Act What is it? Useful Contacts BOARD How to Access Information SEELB Publication Scheme Records Management Policy.pdf Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf SCHOOLS Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf Schools' Disposal of Records Schedule.pdf Model Publication Schemes Copies of the above documents are available from the FOI Unit at Board Headquarters. foi@seelb.org.uk

 

HOW TO ACCESS INFORMATION The Board's Publication Scheme will tell you what information the Board makes publicly available and how you can get access to it. In the majority of cases this information will be free of charge but if there is a cost for accessing information this will be listed against the relevant information. If the information you require is not listed in the Publication Scheme you can write to the Board to request this information. To help us process your request as quickly as possible you can download a Request for Access to Information Form fill in the required details and return it to the SEELB as indicated. We will then deal with your request in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Alternatively you can simply email your information request to foi@seelb.org.uk but remember to include a correspondence address with your request If you wish to make any comments on the Board’s Publication Scheme or have any queries related to information requests please contact:- Mr Derek Cunningham Records Management Officer SEELB HQ Grahamsbridge Road Dundonald BT16 2HS 028 9056 6994 foi@seelb.org.uk Request for Access to Information Form.pdf Request for Access to Information Form.doc

Freedom of Information Act What is it? Useful Contacts BOARD How to Access Information SEELB Publication Scheme Records Management Policy.pdf Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf SCHOOLS Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf Schools' Disposal of Records Schedule.pdf Model Publication Schemes Copies of the above documents are available from the FOI Unit at Board Headquarters. foi@seelb.org.uk

 

SEELB PUBLICATION SCHEME The publication scheme identifies and provides access to publicly available Board information. Our publication scheme says what information we publish, how you can get it, and whether you have to pay for it. We intend to make as much information available as possible but some information cannot be disclosed to the public. This will usually be because of concerns about confidentiality, invasion of privacy or commercial sensitivity. Other possible reasons include the public interest and legal professional privilege. Some documents will contain a mixture of information which can be disclosed and some which cannot. Where possible, information that cannot be disclosed will be deleted from documents to allow other information to be disclosed. SEELB Publication Scheme .rtf

Freedom of Information Act What is it? Useful Contacts BOARD How to Access Information SEELB Publication Scheme Records Management Policy.pdf Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf SCHOOLS Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf Schools' Disposal of Records Schedule.pdf Model Publication Schemes Copies of the above documents are available from the FOI Unit at Board Headquarters. foi@seelb.org.uk

 

USEFUL CONTACTS Mrs Patricia O’Connor Data Protection Officer SEELB HQ – Dundonald Phone 028 9056 6275 Fax 028 9056 6266 e-mail patricia.oconnor@seelb.org.uk Derek Cunningham FOI/Records Management Officer SEELB HQ – Dundonald Phone 028 9056 6994 Fax 028 9056 6266 e-mail derek.cunningham@seelb.org.uk Desi Miskelly Environmental Hazards Unit Manager SEELB HQ – Dundonald Phone 028 9056 6247 Fax 028 9056 6266 e-mail desi.miskelly@seelb.org.uk Other useful contacts are:- The Information Commissioner’s Office PO Box 66, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AX Phone 01625 545 740 e-mail mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk Web site www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk PRONI (Public Records Office for N. Ireland) 66 Balmoral Avenue Belfast BT9 6NY Phone 028 9025 5905 Fax 028 9025 5999 e-mail proni@dcalni.gov.uk web site www.proni.gov.uk Dept for Constitutional Affairs e-mail general.queries@dca.gsi.gov.uk Web site www.dca.gov.uk

Freedom of Information Act What is it? Useful Contacts BOARD How to Access Information SEELB Publication Scheme Records Management Policy.pdf Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf SCHOOLS Procedures for Handling Information Requests.pdf Guidance on Minute Taking.pdf Schools' Disposal of Records Schedule.pdf Model Publication Schemes Copies of the above documents are available from the FOI Unit at Board Headquarters. foi@seelb.org.uk