Under the Freedom of Infomation Act, anyone can make a request to see information held by public authorities.
Make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request
You can also find information we publish in our publication scheme.
All requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act must:
- be in writing
- include your name
- include a postal or email address for the response
Please provide:
- a description of the information that you are seeking from the council
- a contact number (optional) in case we need to contact you about your request
If you don't want to use this form to make your Freedom of Information request, you can send it by email to foi@elmbridge.gov.uk or post to Legal Services, Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, Surrey KT10 9SD.
After you make a request
After you make a request, you will receive an acknowledgement of your request with a reference number allocated to it and a date by which you should receive a response. If the council officer who is dealing with your request requires any clarification on the terms of your request they will contact you.
Sometimes we receive requests for information held by other public bodies and we will let you know which public body may be able to assist. We may also ask you if you would like us to forward on your request to that organisation.
The response to your request will be provided via email or post. If the council has decided to refuse to disclose some or all of the information that you have requested, the reason for doing so will be explained with reference to the relevant exemptions to disclosure set out in the Act.
What to do if you are not satisfied
If you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your request or with the reasons we have given for refusing to provide information, you have the right to appeal.
In the first instance you will be able to seek an internal review by other council officers of that decision. This will be undertaken by an officer who was not involved with the original decision.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you can complain to the Information Commissioner, details of which will be provided in the response to your FOI request.