Charging for FoI Requests

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 gives the public the right to access information held by public authorities.  In some cases, public authorities may charge for the information provided if the request requires significant resources or costs. There are rules in place to ensure that charges are reasonable and transparent.

We may charge for:

• Time spent locating, retrieving, and providing the requested information. This includes reviewing documents for exempt content and preparing the information.
• Reproducing the information (e.g., photocopying, printing, or digital copying).
• Postage or delivery fees if physical copies of documents are required.

The law sets a cost limit for requests:

• If the total cost of responding to a request exceeds £450 for local government, we are not required to fulfil the request. This is known as the 'cost limit'.
• The £450 limit is based on 18 hours of work at an estimated rate of £25 per hour.
• Requests that exceed this limit may be refused or we may offer a reduced scope of information.

Charging Rates

• Staff time: We charge for the time spent by staff in dealing with the request. The charge is based on an hourly rate of £25 per person.
• Copying costs: The cost of photocopying and printing may also be charged, typically at a standard rate for paper and ink.

Before charging, we will:

• Estimate the cost of processing your request.
• Inform you of the estimated charges up front, including a breakdown of the costs.
• If the charges exceed £100, we will typically ask you to confirm if you want to proceed.

We aim to provide most information to the public at no cost and will only charge in cases where:

• a fee must be imposed because of a statutory requirement
• the information amounts to more than 100 pages, which will then be calculated at a cost of £0.10 per sheet.  The Council will not charge for photocopying that amounts to less than £10.00

Anyone requesting information for which a charge is payable may not seek the information in smaller batches, e.g. 90 pages at a time, to avoid the cost. However, sometimes, we may have to make a charge.  If so, we will contact you first for your approval.

Charges

• Priced publications - where the information you require is available from the Council in a priced publication, we will supply details of the publication, its cost and where to buy.
• Photocopying costs and postage (plus a small administrative charge) - where the information you require has already been prepared by us and we can photocopy or provide a computer printout, there will be photocopying and postage costs as well as an administrative charge.  This includes copies of entries in public registers and copies of the Council's internal guidance documents.

The following charges are applicable:

• There is no charge where a request for information is refused or where there is an appeal against a refusal.  Nor will there be a charge to appeal against any charges made for requested information.

You do not pay VAT on requests made under the Freedom of Information Act. We can waive charges if appropriate.

Payment and Refunds

Once you've agreed to the charge, we will provide payment instructions. If, after payment, we are unable to provide the requested information, a refund will be issued.

How to Avoid Charges

Here are some tips to reduce the likelihood of charges:

• Narrow down your request: The more specific your request, the less time and resources it may require to fulfil.
• Request information that is already available: Check if the information you need is already publicly available on the authority's website or through its publication scheme.
• Request electronic copies: Requesting information in an electronic format (e.g., PDF, Excel) rather than paper can help reduce charges for reproduction.

Your Rights

• If you disagree with the charges or feel they are unreasonable, you have the right to challenge the decision by requesting an internal review. The public authority will reconsider the charge and the reasons behind it.
• If you remain dissatisfied after an internal review, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which can assess whether the charges are reasonable.

Conclusion

While we aim to provide information as freely as possible, there are circumstances where we may need to charge for information requests under FOIA. Charges will always be reasonable, based on the time and resources required to process your request. We will inform you of any costs upfront and will only proceed with your agreement.

Ards and North Down Borough Council owns the copyright to the information we produce.  If information is to be re-used or reproduced, commercially or otherwise, written approval must be obtained from the Chief Executive.