About the Information Rights Officer

The post of Information Rights Officer (IRO) was created in August 2001 to help the Council to respond to the laws affecting the way it uses information.

The IRO is responsible for promoting transparency between Guildford Borough Council and the people that use its services – balancing between advising the public on their rights of access to Council information and advising officers and Members on how to use information legally when providing their services.

The main pieces of legislation that affect citizen’s rights are the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

The Information Rights Officer must run the Council’s Publication Scheme (which is a requirement under the Freedom of Information Act) and ensure that the Council has a suitable Records Retention Policy.

The Information Rights Officer is also a member of the Surrey Freedom of Information and Data Protection Officers’ Group, which is working towards a Surrey-wide approach to compliance with those two Acts.

Finally, the IRO works in consultation with the internal auditors by carrying out a program of compliance studies to assist council services to work in accordance with the above legislation.

How to contact the Information Rights Officer:

Telephone: 01483 444053 Email: [email protected]

In writing:

Vincenzo Ardilio, Information Rights Officer, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4BB 

When to Contact the Information Rights Officer

If you are a member of the public and

• You have previously asked a Council officer for some information but your request has been refused.  You may have a right to have access under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  For more details about this Act, see the menu option above right.
• You want access to your files or any information that the Council may be holding about you. You have a general right to have access to this  under the Data Protection Act 1998. You will be asked to fill in an application form, provide appropriate ID and pay a fee of £10. For more details about this Act, see the menu option above right.

If you are a Council Officer or Member with

• Concerns about the way your work may be affected by the "Information Rights" legislation
• Plans to set up a system that will use information about people - for example: CCTV schemes
• A Council website that will display or collect information about people
• Any system that will monitor the activities of the public or staff
• Any new manual or IT system that will use information about people – particularly if it’s of a confidential nature.
• Plans to set up an agreement, protocol or communication system to enable the sharing of personal information between departments or other organisations.
• Plans to set up a contract that will involve the disclosure or use of personal information
• Plans to produce any document aimed at members of the public – it will need to be included in the Council’s Publication Scheme.
• The intention to refuse the release of any information to someone who has made a written request for it.
• Responsibility for responding to a member of the public who has asked to see the files that the Council holds about them.
• Responsibility for responding to a member of the public who wishes to make a complaint that the Council has not complied with any aspect of the Data Protection, Freedom of Information or Regulation of Investigatory Powers Acts.