I have submitted my request, what happens next?

By law we must provide you with a copy of your information within 1 calendar month of receipt of your request and all relevant identifications. However, we will provide you with your information as soon as possible. In some circumstances, we may need to extend the response time. We will try to keep you updated on the progress of your request and inform you of any delays that may occur. If we do not hold the information you have requested, we will inform you as soon as possible.

If there is not enough information to complete the request or we have not received the correct documentation, you will be sent a request for the appropriate documents.

Will there be information I won’t receive?

There are legal reasons under the Data Protection Act 2018 that mean we may have to withhold some information from your file. These are known as exemptions, you can find a list of exemptions that might apply on the Council’s website under the section detailing exemption codes. We will tell you if any information has been taken out of the copy provided to you and why. There may be other reasons why some information is not released to you, in most cases we will explain these to you.

How will I receive the information?

You can choose whether you receive the information via email, or in paper. If you have requested paper copies, you can either receive this information through the post or you can arrange to come to the Council's main reception at Shire Hall in Gloucester to pick it up. In some circumstances you may wish to view your file with a member of staff or someone you trust for support.

If you provided us with an email address, we would try to send you the information via secure email; however, if this is not possible, we will post it to an address provided.