You have the right to access information we hold about the environment. This can include:

• the state of the elements of the environment, such as air, water, soil, land, fauna
• 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
• the state of human health and safety, contamination of the food chain
• cultural sites and built structures (to the extent that they may be affected by the state of the elements of the environment)
• reports, cost-benefit and economic analyses

How to request environmental information

Before you make a request, please check if we have already published the information you are looking for.

If you are unable to find the information you are looking for, then you can make an environmental information request (EIR), by either:

• completing our contact us form
• emailing us at enquiries.bournemouth@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
• Writing to us at
  Customer Services
  BCP Council
  Town Hall
  Bournemouth
  BH2 6DY

What we can’t give you

There are exceptions that can be used as justification to withhold information. These include things like confidentiality of commercial or industrial information, intellectual property rights and internal communications.

We will tell you why we are not providing the information you have asked for, which exception applies, and how you can get our decision reviewed.

How we'll respond

The law requires that we respond to environmental information requests (EIR) within 20 working days.

However, it may take longer if:

• we need to clarify your request with you
• the information you have asked for may be subject to exception
• there is a charge and we are awaiting payment

Cost

In most cases we will provide information free of charge.

We might need to charge:

• if we need to collate, print and post large amounts of materials
• for time it takes

We will let you know if a fee is due before releasing the information. We will only release information once we have received payment.

We are allowed to refuse requests that will take over 18 hours officer time for locating, retrieving and extrapolating information relevant to the request.

Where this is relevant to your request, we will provide advice about refining the request to bring it within the fee limit.