Freedom of Information

The College has adopted the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) model publication scheme:
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-freedom-of-information/publication-scheme/

This scheme explains:

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you the right to request information from public organisations.

It aims to:

• Promote openness and transparency
• Help people understand how decisions are made
• Show how public money is spent

To request information, please email:
foirequests@chesterfield.ac.uk

What to include

Your request must:

• Be in writing (email is fine)
• Include your real name
• Include a contact address (email or postal address)
• Clearly describe the information you want

What happens next

• We will acknowledge your request
• We may contact you if we need clarification
• We will respond within the 20 working day timeframe

We may not be able to provide information if:

• We do not hold it
• It is exempt under the law
• It is already publicly available elsewhere
• The request would require too much time or resource
• The information is archived or inaccessible

Requests for environmental information can be made:

• By email
• In writing
• Verbally (for example, by phone)

However, we recommend making requests in writing to help us respond more efficiently.

Submit requests to: foirequests@chesterfield.ac.uk

We aim to respond within 20 working days.

If we need to apply an exemption, we will explain why within this timeframe.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your request, you have the right to ask for a review.

Requesting an Internal Review

Please email:
foirequests@chesterfield.ac.uk

Include:

• Your original request
• Details of why you are dissatisfied

We will aim to resolve your concerns as quickly as possible.

Your request will be reviewed by a member of the Senior Leadership Team who was not involved in the original response.

We will:

• Carry out a formal review of how your request was handled
• Consider whether the Freedom of Information Act was applied correctly

You will receive a written response within 20 working days.

Following the review, we will either:

1. Uphold the original decision
   We will explain why we believe your request was handled correctly.
2. Revise our response
   If we did not meet the required standards, we will:
   • Correct any errors
   • Apologise where appropriate
   • Provide any information we are able to release

If you are still not satisfied after the internal review, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Visit their website
Helpline: 0303 123 1113

The ICO is the UK’s independent authority for upholding information rights.

For more guidance, visit the ICO website: https://ico.org.uk/