Lorna Roxburgh Freedom of Information Policy Advisor Environment Agency.
Post on 22-Dec-2015
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Lorna Roxburgh
Freedom of Information Policy Advisor
Environment Agency
Access to Information
We have a stated policy of being an open and transparent organisation
Providing access to information is key to this
Therefore:‘We will provide information unless there is a very good
reason not to do so’
Access to Information
The public has a statutory right of access to…all recorded information and data, held by us, unless an exemption applies.
We have…a duty to respond to requests and provide advice/assistance.
The Freedom of Information Act…places a number of extra duties on us to pro-actively make information available.
The 3 pillars
• Access to Information
• Public Participation in Environmental Decision Making
• Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
Drivers
‘[ensure that the public can] ... understand what is happening in the environment around them; and participate in environmental decision-making in an informed manner.’
UNECE ‘Aarhus’ Convention, 1998
Application
Advert
Consultation Responses
Licence
Monitoring
Action
Public Register Process
but………………..
Drivers
‘[ensure that the public can] ... understand what is happening in the environment around them; and participate in environmental decision-making in an informed manner.’
UNECE ‘Aarhus’ Convention, 1998
‘[there is] … a critical difference between going through the empty ritual of participation and having the real power needed to affect the outcome of the process’
Arnstein (1969, p.216)
Public Registers: do they work?
• Are people aware?
• Are paper files convenient?
• Is the information presented meaningfully?
• Is location in offices convenient?
• Do we reach a wide cross-section of society?
• Could we do better?!
4 key barriers to Participation through the use of Public Registers
Awareness
Access
Suitability
Cost
Awareness
4 key barriers to the use of Participation through Public Registers
Awareness
Access
Suitability
Cost
Access + Suitability
4 key barriers to the use of Participation through Public Registers
Awareness
Access
Suitability
Cost
Cost
Public Registers that are not an empty ritual
Limitations of the service
• Awareness raising throughout Agency web services- but does not reach “the excluded”
• Passive not proactive- still rely on internet browsing
• Metadata not documents- person may still need to travel to the office
• Does not facilitate participation- does time lag still mean an ‘empty ritual?’
• One size fits all service- public, pressure groups, NGO, Local Government, housewife
Future
• Short termDevelopment of a suite of electronic toolsSeries of public participation trials
• Medium termAnalysis and review of electronic Public Registers ProjectRecommendations for way forward
• Long termIntegration of our electronic systems (i.e linking permitting
and public registers)Seamless transition between our frontend and backend system
Next steps
GI Tools
Geospatial Data
Operational and historical
documents
Register for e services participation and consultation register location of interest register company of interest
Search for information
Forums DebateIssue related groupsConsultationNetworking
Auto messaginge:mailSMS
CustomerServices
Local AuthoritiesAgenciesLocal networksDigital TVLocal Newspapers
XML, GML PDFstext, documents …leaflets, processed information
e Services
Organisation
Register for information format data maps leaflets SMS
Discussion Topics
1. What do you think of the Environment Agency information provision?
2. How could we improve?
3. What do you think are the constraints?
4. What are the pros and cons of moving to solely electronic consultations?
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