Making a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

To make a request you can simply complete the Request for Information Form (Request Form - DOC) (Request Form - PDF) and either email to foi@walthamforest.gov.uk

or send it to:

The Information Officer
Corporate Governance Unit
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest Town Hall
Forest Road
London
E17 4JF

Alternatively, call Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 who will fill out the form over the telephone and send it to the Information Officer for you.

If you write the request yourself, please make sure you include all the required ("mandatory") information and then email it to the Information Officer at foi@walthamforest.gov.uk or send it to the above address.

Requirements For A Request

In order to make a request for information under the FOI, you must provide the following details in writing (in electronic or hard copy [paper] format):

  • Your name
  • An address for correspondence
    This can be an email address, or a physical one, i.e. a street address
  • A description of the information requested
    This must be enough to allow us to respond to your request

Please provide as much detail as possible so that we can provide you with the information you want as soon as possible.

You can also say in your request how you want to receive the information:

  • You can ask for a copy of the information to be sent to you
  • You can inspect the information in person
  • We can send you a summary of the information

We will try to provide the information in the way that you request but if this is not possible, we will tell you, and provide the information another way. We can provide copies or summaries as hard copy (on paper) or in other formats acceptable to you, for example electronically or in Braille.

We recommend that you check that the information you want is not already available through the Council’s Publication Scheme before you make a request.

Our Obligations

We are required to:

  • Provide you with advice and assistance to help you make your request.
  • Help you identify the information you want.
  • Inform you of the progress of your request
  • Tell you if we will charge you for the request. You will need to pay this fee before we have to provide the information. Alternatively, you can then decide not to continue with your request.
  • Tell you if there is a reason why we do not have to release the information.

We must supply the information you requested promptly but no later than 20 working days, unless

  • We need more detail about your request, for example to identify the information properly
  • There is a reason for not releasing the information
  • A time extension is necessary, or
  • You have not yet paid the requested fee.

The Information Officer will contact you about your request if this is the case.

Request Refusal

If your request is refused in whole or in part, we will write and give you an explanation for the refusal.

You can appeal against our refusal, within 28 days, by any of the following ways:

  • by completing the online Complaints Form  
  • by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 or
  • by writing to the Council's Complaints Team:
     
    Corporate Complaints Unit
    London Borough of Waltham Forest
    Waltham Forest Town Hall
    Forest Road
    London E17 4JF
    Please mark your letter “FOI Appeal”.