FOI Charging Policy

FOI Charging Policy

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Last Updated: January 14th 2019

Charging Policy for Freedom of Information Requests

Many of the documents we hold are freely available via our website.

Where information detailed in the Guide to Information/ Model Publication Scheme requires a fee to be paid, this is clearly marked.

If the cost involved in responding to a Freedom of Information request amounts to more than £10, the requester will be given a fees notice asking them to provide a fee to cover the costs of photocopying, postage or any other related costs. For amounts less than £10 the fee will be waived. Photocopying will be calculated at a maximum charge of 10p per sheet. The 20 working day deadline for supplying the information will not commence until the fee has been received.

If the cost of complying with the request amounts to £450 or more, calculated at £25 per hour in staff time in relation to locating, retrieving and extracting the information, then the request will be forwarded to the Registrar, who will decide whether to:

  • Refuse the request
  • Charge for the cost of complying including calculations based on staff time involved with retrieving and collating the information
  • Supply the information without the full charge being imposed
  • Offer the requester some advice and assistance to identify whether the scope of the request can be narrowed in order that the information can be supplied at a lower cost.

If the requester does not supply the requested fee by the end of three months from the date the requester was given notice, the University is not obliged to comply with the request.

Where more than one request is received from the same person or people acting together as part of a campaign, the University may consider combining the costs when determining whether they amount to £450. This will only be considered where the requests are of a similar nature and within a 60-day period.

Where charges relate to providing the information in another language the University reserves the right to charge, and the decision will rest with the University Secretary and Registrar.

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