The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) (opens in a new window) provide public access to environmental information held by public authorities, including Mansfield District Council.
The regulations provide greater access to environmental information held by us in two ways:
- by requiring us to proactively publish environmental information held by us
- by giving individuals the right of access, upon request, to environmental information held by us.
The Freedom of Information Act contains an exemption relating to environmental information.
All requests for environmental information will be dealt with under the Environmental Information Regulations and not the Freedom of Information Act.
What is environmental information?
Environmental information is defined as including information relating to:
- The state of the elements of the environment, such as air, water, soil, land, fauna (including human beings).
- Emissions and discharges, noise, energy, radiation, waste and other such substances.
- Measures and activities such as policies, plans, and agreements affecting or likely to affect the state of the elements of the environment.
- Reports, cost-benefit and economic analyses.
- The state of human health and safety, contamination of the food chain.
- Cultural sites and built structures (to the extent they may be affected by the state of the elements of the environment).
What does this include?
It depends on the information being requested, but could include information relating to:
- planning matters
- land Use
- waste
- food hygiene
- housing development plans
- pollution
- noise
- animals, and
- the state of buildings.
How do I make a request?
You can make a request by using the request for information form or by email at DPO@mansfield.gov.uk.
The regulations allow us to charge what we consider a reasonable amount for providing environmental information. To be fair and reasonable, we have decided to charge for environmental information in the same way we charge for Freedom of information requests.
When can I expect to receive the information?
We will make every effort to provide you with the within 20 working days. The time limit can be extended to 40 working days if the information requested is complex and requires a lot of detail. We will let you know if we need to extend the time period.
Will I receive all the information I have asked for?
Not necessarily. We will not release information which we do not hold and will not deal with your request if we consider it to be too general or excessive.
The regulations also contain a number of exceptions to protect information that should not be released into the public domain. We will not release information where one of the exceptions applies and we consider it to be in the public interest to withhold the information.
What if I am not happy with the way my request has been dealt with?
You should first of all make a complaint via our complaints page. If after following this procedure you are still not satisfied, you can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner (opens in new window).