Flintshire County Council

Data Protection, Freedom of Information and EIR

The Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations place duties on local authorities in relation to the different types of information they hold.

The Data Protection Act 1998 regulates the way organisations deal with personal information.  In order to be covered by the Act information must: 

a) relate to an identifiable living person
b) be biographical in a significant sense
c) have the individual as its focus, and
d) affect the individual’s privacy. 

Where the Act applies organisations have to follow certain principles in the way they deal with such information. 

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives the public a right to know whether the Council has a record of information and to have such information communicated to them.  There are a number of exemptions to such rights contained in the Act. 

The Environmental Information Regulations 1994 give the public similar rights in relation to environmental information.  Whilst requests have to be in writing for the Freedom of Information Act, oral requests are acceptable under the Environmental Information Regulations.

The Council website contains more information about Data Protection, Freedom of Information and Environmental Information.

Information in this area

Freedom of Information Act - advice

Guidance Note to the Public Concerning requests for information

Copyright - reusing public sector information

It is the intention of the Re-use statutory instrument to encourage the use of public sector information, stimulating the development of innovative information related products.

Data Protection Act

The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force on the 1st March 2000 and is the key piece of legislation governing the protection and use of personal data.

Data protection complaints procedure

This procedure is exclusively for dealing with complaints in relation to the operation of the Data Protection Act within Flintshire County Council

Dealing with requests

As from the 1st January 2005 there are three separate pieces of legislation relevant to requests for information. These are the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Data Protection Act and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR).

Environmental Information Requlations Complaints Procedure

This procedure is exclusively for dealing with complaints in relation to the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)within the Council.

Flintshire's Publication Scheme

Flintshire's Publication Scheme

Freedom of Information Statistics

Details of Flintshire County Council's response to Freedom of Information Requests

Freedom of information complaints procedure

Freedom of Information Act: Complaints Procedure This procedure is exclusively for dealing with complaints in relation to the operation of the Freedom of Information Act within the Council.

Model Publication Scheme

Under the Publication Scheme 2009, Flintshire County Council is committed to making information available to the public as part of its normal business activities.

National Fraud Initiative

The National Fraud Initiative (NFI) is a data matching exercise designed to detect and prevent fraud and overpayments across England and Wales. NFI is a mandatory exercise for the County Council and is performed every two years by the Auditor General.

Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice tells you what to expect when Flintshire County Council collects personal information.

Terms and conditions

Flintshire County Council makes every effort to ensure the information published on this web site is up to date and accurate but cannot accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions. Flintshire County Council reserve the right to make changes without notice.