The Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations - how to use them to get information you need

There is yet another newspaper article on the dreadful situation in the Wye Valley where planners and developers got together secretly to put together an enormous development, keeping people in the area in total ignorance of their plans. Planners and developers denied that there was a "secret plan" but campaigners - who were using a web blog just like this - were able to use the Freedom of Information Act to find the secret document which each side had said did not exist.

Should you feel that there is information out there that would be beneficial to the local population on any matter whatsoever - not just this planning application - you can use not only the

Freedom of Information Act 2000

to request it from any public authority, you can also use another act


Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999

which may be more suitable to the current planning application or similar situations.

You can ask for the information under both acts at the same time in one letter, you don't have to do two separate letters. Do try to be totally specific about what you want - organisations can fudge the issue by misinterpreting letters if it suits them. The more specific you are the less likely this is to happen.

If you want to know how the Freedom of Information Act works there is a useful guide at

www.cfoi.org.uk

And, if you find out anything interesting, please let us know!