Enquiries from the media
Hampshire County Council has always welcomed the opportunity to be open and accountable, and to encourage the public's participation in local issues. We already have public access to meetings, agendas, reports and minutes and much of our information is published on our website and widely available. The Press Office is committed to good working relationships with journalists and wishes to ensure you continue to receive information in a timely and proactive way.
The Press Office envisages that we may well be able to deal with your requests for information as part of our every day media relations work, where the information is readily available from the Council’s departments. However, the volume of information requested or the amount of officer time involved may result in a formal Freedom of Information request. The Press Office has had Freedom of Information training and we look forward to guiding you through the system should you require it.
Please continue to make your requests for information through the Press Office.
If the Press Office cannot deal with the request as part of our normal working arrangements the request will be dealt with as a formal Freedom of Information enquiry.
Freedom of Information requests need to be made in writing (this can be by letter, e-mail, fax or text).
Our press officer will advise you to make any written requests via our standard request form.
You will be informed of the date that the request has been received and our undertaking to resolve the enquiry within the specified 20 working days period.
The Press Office will remain your point of contact for progress with the enquiry.
Supplementary notes for public access
Hampshire County Council has systems in place and staff fully trained ready to implement requests under the Freedom of Information Act when it becomes law on 1 January 2005. It already produces and maintains a publication scheme detailing what information is available or due for publication, and how the information can be obtained.
People will be able to request information from the County Council in a number of ways. Standard request forms will be available in all Information Centres (in Winchester, Basingstoke, Farnborough, Waterlooville and New Milton) as well as on-line. The publication scheme, which details groups of documents available and how to access them, is also available via the Hampshire County Council website.
One of the County Council’s main aims is to build strong and safe communities by working together with local people. Communities which are well informed are better placed to influence decisions, and the Council believes the Freedom of Information Act can only help us serve the people of Hampshire more effectively.