Dear Sir or Madam,

Now that the Freedom of Information Act has been in place for just
over 3 years please can you advise how the number of staff involved
in dealing with requests for information, and what formal training
have they undertaken and to what level, to-date, and if there any
is planned for the future.

Also please advise the same information in relation to Data
Protection Act and the Environmental Information Regulations.

Yours faithfully,

George Gorey

Mr George Gorey

Eich Cyf/Your Ref

Ein Cyf/Our Ref
R001021

Dyddiad/Date
26/03/2008

Gofynner am/Ask for

Gillian Roberts

Rhif Union/Direct Dial

01352 702433

Dear Mr Gorey

Thank you for your request for information which is acknowledged.

Your request has been forwarded to the Freedom of Information Act Contact
Officer for the Financial, Legal & Democratic Directorate, Anwen Jones, to
process and this Officer will be in contact with you.

Yours sincerely

Gillian Roberts

**********************************************************************
Opinions advice, conclusions and other information in this
message that do not relate to the official business of
Flintshire County Council shall be understood as neither
given nor endorsed by it or on its behalf, and consequently
Flintshire County Council shall bear no responsibility
whatsoever in respect thereof.
Deellir na fydd unrhyw safbwyntiau, na chynghorion, na
chasgliadau nac unrhyw wybodaeth arall yn y neges hon,
nad ydynt yn berthnasol i waith swyddogol
Cyngor Sir y Fflint, yn cael eu cynnig na'u cadarnhau ganddo
nac ar ei ran, ac felly ni fydd Cyngor Sir y Fflint yn derbyn
unrhyw gyfrifoldeb am y rhannau hynny o'r neges.
**********************************************************************

Dear Mr Gorey,

Thank you for your enquiry about Freedom of Information and Data Protection
dated the 26 March. The part of your enquiry dealing with the
Environmental Information Regulations will be responded to by my colleague,
Lynne Fensome of the Environment & Regeneration Directorate who deals with
those Regulations.

Whilst the Council does not have recorded information on the questions you
are asking, I hope the following will be of use to you. In relation to the
Freedom of Information Act, each Directorate of the Council has a Freedom
of Information Act contact officer and a Freedom of Information Act
complaints officer. In addition I am the Lead Officer and have support
from my Secretary and from the Business Development Officer for this
Directorate. I enclose a table showing the relevant staff. All these
staff deal with such requests as one of their many duties.

Prior to taking on these roles the staff in question have received training
on the Freedom of Information Act and there is guidance issued to staff on
the Council's Infonet. The group of Freedom of Information Act officers
meet on a six monthly basis but other than that no formal training is
planned for the future.

In relation to the Data Protection Act, I Chair the Data Protection group
of officers. The role of this group is to give corporate advice in
relation to the Data Protection Act and to deal with the most important or
complex Data Protection queries. I attach details of the Data Protection
Team. Again, guidance is given to Council officers on Data Protection
through the Council's Infonet. The officers on the Data Protection team
received training prior to taking on their roles. Periodically members of
the team attend external training courses as and when appropriate.

Whilst I hope the above has answered you request, I attach details of the
complaints procedure should that not be the case.

Yours sincerely

Peter Evans
Assistant Director (Democratic Services)/
Cyfarwyddwr Cynorthwyol (Gwasanaethau Democrataidd)
Directorate of Financial, Legal & Democratic Services/
Cyfarwyddwr y Gwasanethau Ariannol, Cyfreithiol a Democrataidd
Flintshire County Council/Cyngor Sir y Fflint

Tel/Ffôn: (01352) 702304

(See attached file: Contact & Complaints Officers.doc)(See attached file:
Data Protection Contact Officers.doc)(See attached file: FOIA Complaints
Procedure.doc)

**********************************************************************
Opinions advice, conclusions and other information in this
message that do not relate to the official business of
Flintshire County Council shall be understood as neither
given nor endorsed by it or on its behalf, and consequently
Flintshire County Council shall bear no responsibility
whatsoever in respect thereof.
Deellir na fydd unrhyw safbwyntiau, na chynghorion, na
chasgliadau nac unrhyw wybodaeth arall yn y neges hon,
nad ydynt yn berthnasol i waith swyddogol
Cyngor Sir y Fflint, yn cael eu cynnig na'u cadarnhau ganddo
nac ar ei ran, ac felly ni fydd Cyngor Sir y Fflint yn derbyn
unrhyw gyfrifoldeb am y rhannau hynny o'r neges.
**********************************************************************

Dear Mr Gorey

Thank you for your e-mail requesting information regarding the number of
staff involved in dealing with information requests under the Freedom of
Information Act, Data Protection Act and the Environmental Information
Regulations.

I am replying on behalf of the Directorate of Environment and
Regeneration.

Within the Directorate myself and the Head of Management Support and
Performance are responsible for all information requests under the above
legislation.

We have received training through an external training body on Freedom of
Information and received computer based training on Data Protection and
Environmental Information.

Further training will be undertaken in the future.

Yours sincerely

Lynne Fensome
Directorate Support Manager
Management Support & Performance
Directorate of Environment & Regeneration
Flintshire County Council
01352 704910

**********************************************************************
Opinions advice, conclusions and other information in this
message that do not relate to the official business of
Flintshire County Council shall be understood as neither
given nor endorsed by it or on its behalf, and consequently
Flintshire County Council shall bear no responsibility
whatsoever in respect thereof.
Deellir na fydd unrhyw safbwyntiau, na chynghorion, na
chasgliadau nac unrhyw wybodaeth arall yn y neges hon,
nad ydynt yn berthnasol i waith swyddogol
Cyngor Sir y Fflint, yn cael eu cynnig na'u cadarnhau ganddo
nac ar ei ran, ac felly ni fydd Cyngor Sir y Fflint yn derbyn
unrhyw gyfrifoldeb am y rhannau hynny o'r neges.
**********************************************************************