Access to Information

Published information

If we have published the information you have requested we will refer you to where it can be found on our website or provide a copy of the published information.

Requests for information

If information has not been published yet, or will not be published, you can still ask for it under the following:

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA): Apart from certain exemptions, the Act gives a general right of access to information that we hold.

Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR): These Regulations give you a right of access to environmental information that we hold.

Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR): The Act and GDPR gives you the right to ask for ‘personal data’ that we hold about you.  A request under the Data Protection Act is known as a Subject Access Request.

How we will handle your request

Freedom of Information Act:

We will reply within twenty working days of receiving a valid request, sending you the requested information if no exemptions apply. Although a fee is not chargeable, we may advise you of a “reasonable fee” where the request is excessive or manifestly unfounded under the legislation.

If we cannot provide the information we will write to explain why we cannot give you the information. For example, if we do not hold the information or it is considered exempt from disclosure under the Act.

Environmental Information Regulations:

We will handle any requests under these regulations in a similar way to requests made under the FOI Act. When the complexity and volume of the information requested means it is impracticable to issue a full reply within 20 working days then we will do so within 40 working days.

Data Protection Act – subject access request:

Under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations, you have the right to receive a copy of the information the council holds about you.  A request for this information is called a subject access request.

We will reply within one calendar month of receiving a valid request, sending you the personal data that we hold about you. We will require proof of identity prior to processing a request for information under the Data Protection Act.

How to make a request

In the first instance, requests should be made in writing and sent to our Policy Team. Requests under the Environmental Information Regulations can also be made over the telephone.

E: foi@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Policy Team – Council Headquarters
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
1-29 Bridge Street
Ballymena
BT43 5EJ

Complaints and reviews

We have a specific internal review procedure for requests made for information under the FOI Act or EIRs. If you want to make a complaint about the way that we have handled your request, or if you want to request a review of our decision on the release of information then you should write to the Chief Executive at:

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
1-29 Bridge Street
Ballymena
BT43 5EJ

If you are still not satisfied after we have considered your complaint or conducted a review you can appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision by writing to:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

E: casework@ico.org.uk
T: 01625 545 700
W: www.ico.org.uk

If you want to complain about the outcome of your Subject Access request then you must write directly to the Information Commissioner at the address above.