Freedom of Information
From January 2005 you have been able to ask Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service for information it holds and is not already published elsewhere nor exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
Under the FOIA you have the right to ask for information to be provided in a particular way and we will try to meet your request. If you have any difficulty in formulating your request please contact the Corporate Information Manager on informationmanagement@wiltsfire.gov.uk or by calling 01380 731182.
Freedom of Information requests need to:
- be clear and understandable with enough detail to identify and locate the information;
- include your name and address (this includes an email address)
- contain an indication about the form in which you want the information.
This will ensure that your application is dealt with as quickly as possible. You should give as much detail as you can in order to assist us in locating the information that you require. You may like to refer to http://www.ico.gov.uk/ for further information and guidance. Some documents may include exempt information and subject to the Data Protection Act 1998, so you will only get the information which is not exempt. You only have a right to information and not necessarily to documents.
Lots of information about Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is available on our website via our publication scheme.
Requesting information
Please click here to make a Freedom of Information Request.
Alternatively, you can send your request in writing to:
Corporate Information Manager
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service
Manor House
Potterne
Devizes
Wiltshire SN10 5PP
Costs
Any fee charged will be calculated by looking at the costs directly and reasonably incurred locating the information you have asked for and giving it to you. You will then be sent a ‘fees notice’ which you will have to pay within three months of your request – you will not receive information until you have paid the costs in the fees notice.
If the estimated cost of providing the information would be above the appropriate limit set by the Government (£450) then we will not be under a duty to provide the information. However, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service will inform you if the limit will be exceeded and we will try to let you know what can be provided within the limit. Despite not being obliged to provide information which exceeds the limit, we still have a duty to advise and assist.
In order to protect Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service, there will be rules which govern multiple applications for information which are clearly trying to avoid the financial limits set by the Government. However, we will try to help you as much as possible to get the information you want.
We currently charge for incident reports (£48 inclusive of VAT at 20%) and fire investigation reports (£162 inclusive of VAT at 20%).
To request a report, please click here
Making a complaint
If you consider that you have not received the information to which you are entitled or that your request has not been dealt with effectively you can make a complaint by contacting us:
By email - click here
In writing – Director HR, Learning and Development, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue
Service Headquarters, Manor House, Potterne, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 5PP
By telephone - 01380 723601
Your complaint will be dealt with under our Complaints procedure
If you are still not satisfied after using our internal complaints procedure, you can contact the Information Commissioner:
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545700
Fax: 01625 524510
E-mail: data@dataprotection.gov.uk
Website: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
