Access to information

Data Protection Legislation gives you the right to request a copy of the personal information that Warwickshire County Council holds about you. Please see our frequently asked questions (faqs) which should help you with the process.

If you would like access to a specific document or piece of information between certain dates, this can usually be provided by contacting the relevant service itself, e.g. Adult Social Care, Children Services, Education. This is a quicker and easier way to obtain the information you want and without the need to make a formal Subject Access Request (SAR).

What you can expect from the IG Team when dealing with your request -

1. We will evaluate what information you want to access.
2. We will check relevant id has been received.
3. We will determine if the request is complex. This will be determined by the sensitivity and type of information held and if you have made any further information rights requests.
4. We will acknowledge your email or letter usually within five working days of receipt.
5. In certain case we may need to ask you for more information, and we may have to engage with other teams.
6. We work to statutory deadlines i.e. 1 calendar month from the receipt of a valid request this can be extended by a further 2 months if your request is determined complex.
7. We will confirm the statutory deadline if this has not already been done at point 4.
8. We will locate the information.
9. Cases can vary in complexity and size from a few pages to boxes of files.
10. Each document must be read, and consideration needs to be given as to whether the information can be released, or an exemption applies. Exemptions can be applied to a whole document or part of a document.
11. Exemptions will include, third party information, information provided in confidence, legally privileged information, court information. Further details about exemptions to disclosure can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO] website.
12. Once the process of reviewing the information has been commenced there will be times because of the complexity/size of a case as at points 8 to 10 that these statutory deadlines may not be met. If this is the case, we will inform you and keep you updated on progress and will give you a realistic completion date as soon as we can. We can also consider providing you the information in instalments.