How to make a complaint

If you are dissatisfied with your FOI/EIR response or with the way your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act/Environmental Information Regulations, you have the right to ask for your request to be independently reviewed.

Internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. You should set out your representations inwriting including the reference number quoted on your FOI, explanation as to why you are dissatisfied and details of how you would like it resolved.

Requests for internal reviews can be sent to:

Email: InternalReviews@tendringdc.gov.uk.

Post: Legal Services – Internal Reviews, CorporateServices, Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO15 1SE.

You will be notified of the outcome of the review as soonas possible and in any event within 20 working days from receipt of yourrepresentations.

Appeal:

Should you still remain dissatisfied following the outcome of the review, you may apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision by writing to:

Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113, www.ico.gov.uk.

ICO FOI and EIR complaints - https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/foi-and-eir-complaints/foi-and-eir-complaints/

Advice and Assistance –

Please note that the FOI/EIR Internal Review process allows applicants the right to request a review of the response that they have received regarding their requests forinformation or to complain about how their requests have been handled. It is not the purpose of the FOI/EIR Internal Review Process to review or deal with matters beyond FOI/EIR handling.

Complaints about the Council should be made in accordance with Council’s complaints process – https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/complaints .

The ICO hashelpful guidance on the internal review process that may be of use to you - https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/official-information/what-to-do-if-you-are-dissatisfied-with-the-response/

Please note that abuse of the review procedure, such as repeated requests for reviews following every request made, may be treated as vexatious and refused.