ABSTRACT
Transparency at the local government level has been little studied (Bertelli and Piotrowski 2008: 2). To offer insight into the subject, this chapter looks at the impact of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, 2000 upon local government in England. It draws on data from three annual surveys of FoI officers in English local councils conducted by the Constitution Unit since 2006. The surveys sought basic data about freedom of information at the local government level, including the number of requests made each year; rates of disclosure and timeliness; officers’ wider impressions of who is making requests; which types of information are of most interest; the benefits of the legislation and the challenges with its compliance. The chapter argues that, overall, FoI in England is working well at the local level.
