Complain about a Freedom of Information response

Feedback and complaints

The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to request information held by public authorities.

Subject to any defined exemptions, we have a duty, once we receive a request in writing, to:

• tell you whether or not we hold the information
• give you the information if we have it

If you are not satisfied with the council’s response to your request for information, you can request an Internal Review.

Internal Review

Internal reviews are undertaken by a senior officer not involved in the preparation of the original response. They evaluate the handling of your request and the information that has either been disclosed or withheld in accordance with defined exemptions of the act.

How to request an Internal Review

Requests for an Internal Review must be submitted in writing to the Freedom of Information team within two months of the council's response to your original request for information.

Your request should set out why you are dissatisfied with the council's response. Include your full name and correspondence address so that we can write back to you.

What happens next?

We will confirm receipt of your complaint in writing and commence the internal review. The Royal Borough of Greenwich will aim to complete internal reviews within 20 working days.

Further action

If, following the outcome of the Internal Review, you remain dissatisfied with the council's response to your request for information, you can request that the Information Commissioner's Office step in to review it.

The Information Commissioner

The Information Commissioner's Office is an independent body that enforces the Freedom of Information Act, the Data Protection Act and the Environmental Information Regulations.

If you wish to take your complaint to the Information Commissioner, you should do so no later than two months after the Royal Borough of Greenwich has given you its decision.

Find out more about the Information Commissioner's Office

Generally, the Information Commissioner’s Office will not make a decision unless you have exhausted the Internal Review procedure provided by the Council.