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?