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Head of Information Governance at a local authority, currently researching and evaluating the implementation of Freedom of Information, specifically identifying and characterising the existing regimes of Freedom of Information practices that have come into being across local authorities.

Local Governance Research Centre (LGRC)

"So what can we charge (for EIR)." PDP Freedom of Information Journal, Volume 15, issue 6
"Housing Associations and FOI." PDP Freedom of Information Journal, Volume 15, issue 1
"FOI in Scotland". PDP Freedom of Information Journal, Volume 14, issue 5
"Journalists in Scotland subject to delays and less likely to receive responses under FOISA". 6th Global Transparency Research Conference, June 2019, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"Central government departments and FOI timeliness — will the crackdown happen?" PDP Freedom of Information Journal, Vol 13 Issue 6
"Balancing transparency and privacy." PDP Freedom of Information Journal Vol 13 issue 4
"Fishing expeditions or serious investigations? The impact of media Freedom of Information Act requests on local government." FOI 10 YEARS ON: freedom fighting or lazy journalism?Edition: 1st Chapter: 11 Publisher: Abramis Editors: Tom Felle and John Mair
"Do fishing expeditions truly undermine FOIA's objectives?" PDP Freedom of Information Journal, Volume 13, issue 2
"A cheap shot or a real investigation?" December 2014, British Journalism Review 25(4):49-55
Data Protection: Compliance in Practice. December 2011, Edition: 1st Publisher: Ark Publishing Editor: Evie Serventi
A Practical Guide to Handling Freedom of Information Requests. September 2011
Edition: 1st Publisher: Ark Publishing Editor: Evie Serventi

Freedom of Information, Information rights, data protection, local government

Freedom of Information, Environmental Information Regulations, Data Protection, Information Rights

B.Ed Hons, University College of Ripon and York St John, 1992
MA Hons European Studies, Leicester University, 2000
Post Graduate Diploma, Information Rights, Northumbria University, 2004

'Journalists in Scotland subject to delays and less likely to receive responses under FOISA', 6th Global Transparency Research Conference, June 2019, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
'Is the use of the United Kingdom’s Freedom of Information Act by the media giving local government a bad press?', 5th Global Conference on Transparency Studies, June 2017, Limerick, Ireland

Title

Freedom of Information Act 2000, Local Government and Everyday Regimes of Practice

Abstract

The Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2000 came into force at the beginning of 2005. It was designed to increase the openness, transparency and accountability of decision-making, leading ultimately to improvements in public governance and engagement. However, there have been limited studies of its long-term impacts on local government practices and how far the Act has delivered on its stated aims and objectives. Importantly, we know little of the everyday practices of FoI and the political logics of the regimes that have come into operation over time as local authorities have grappled with the demands of its implementation. 

Addressing these ‘gaps’ in existing knowledge, this research seeks to critically evaluate the implementation of FoI. More specifically, it seeks to identify and characterise the existing regimes of FoI practices that have come into being across local authorities.

Professor Steven Griggs