Access to information

In recent years, legislation has established the statutory right for members of the public to access information held by public authorities. These laws have been introduced to promote greater openness and accountability and a 'right to know' culture.

There are four channels for access to information, each of the four channels differ slightly and there are some exemptions to what information can be released. A fee may also be payable depending on the complexity and volume of the information being requested.

• Data Protection Act 1998 - allows you access to the personal information the Council holds about you.

• Environmental Information Regulations 2004 - allows you access to information regarding the environment.

• Freedom of Information Act 2000 - allows you access to all other records the Council holds that are not personal or environmental.

• Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 - introduced to encourage the re-use of information held by public bodies and local authorities.

All the Freedom of Information requests received by the Council since January 2005 and the Environmental Information Regulations requests received since February 2007 are published in disclosure logs.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Suffolk Coastal maintains a publication scheme which lists information that is routinely published and gives details of how it can be accessed and if there are any charges for it.