FOI improvement action plan

Information on how we will improve our compliance with the FOI statutory timeframes.

Tools and resources

Tools and resources available.

New 'Infreemation' system

Action: New system purchased for processing FOI/SAR requests 'Infreemation' and operational from September 2022. New reporting functionality added and regular updates.

Impact: Using appropriate technology to handle large amounts of documents and redact information will save time.

Priority: Medium

Person or team responsible: Head of Corporate Technology

Start date: September 2022

End date: September 2022

Review: New system purchased in September 2022 to process all FOI/SAR. The system is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains fit for purpose and continues to meet our needs.  Since deployment, these reviews have resulted in new reporting for Internal Reviews and update of key directorate contacts. New templates and automated daily chase emails.

Current status: Completed

Sharing and collaborating 

Action: Additional staff training is being provided to key nominated staff on the FOI processing systems which means consistency of storage will be achieved.

Impact: It will be easier and quicker to share, collaborate on, and review requests.

Priority: Medium

Person or team responsible: Information Team Manager / Systems Support

Start date: July 2023

End date: August 2023

Review: Key contacts within directorates have been updated and ongoing and regular training will be given as required.

Current status: In progress

Improving processes

Action: Purchase of additional Adobe Professional software licenses for key directorate Officers supporting the FOI process for redaction.

Impact: To ensure that the central FOI team are able to focus on complex cases and giving advice. Allowing services to redact prior to sharing for peer review.

Priority: Medium

Person or team responsible: Information Team Manager / Heads of Service

Start date: July 2023

End date: August 2023

Review: This has been agreed, licenses and software installed. Training to be given throughout August to teams.

Current status: In progress

Improving efficiency

Action: Ensure that the external website is user-friendly so that members of the public can easily find, or be pointed to, data released in historic FOI requests, and the organisations FOI performance and improvement plan. 

Impact: This will improve the efficiency of FOI Officers time and reduce the number of repeated requests for the same information.

Priority: High

Person or team responsible: Information Team Manager

Start date: July 2023

End date: September 2023

Review: Information Team Manager has been working with colleagues in the Website Team to make the FOI pages more user-friendly.

Current status: In progress

Understanding performance

Action: Weekly management reports have been introduced and circulated to the wider organisation including CEO, Corporate Directors and Directors. Back-log requests are shared with Corporate Directors to be discussed at weekly departmental management meetings.

Impact: Understanding performance, what is in the queue, and what is closed within the time limit. This will allow resources to meet timescales and key performance measures.

Priority: High

Person or team responsible: Information Team Manager / Corporate Directors

Start date: July 2022

End date: Ongoing

Review: Information Team Manager and DPO attending directorate management meeting as requested..

Current status: Ongoing