How To Request Information About East Durham College
Before submitting a request, please check the College's Publication Scheme >> to establish if the information is already published on the College's Website.
If the information you are looking for is not published, you can make your request in writing by emailing: foi@eastdurham.ac.uk.
Alternatively, should you wish to post your request, please send to:
The FOI Officer,
East Durham College,
Willerby Grove,
Peterlee, SR8 2RN.
You should include your name, a correspondence address (an email address is acceptable) and as much detail as possible about the information you require.
Our Response
As far as possible, the College will attempt to meet the legislative timeframe for responding. Requests must be responded to within 20 working days of receipt.
Exemptions
There may be some circumstances where information can't be released to you such as issues including personal data, confidentiality or commercially sensitive information. If an exemption is applied to your request a full explanation will be provided within our response.
Costs
We aim to provide information free of charge but sometimes we may need to make a charge towards administrative costs. If this applies to your request, you will be contacted before the information is provided.
If you need any assistance in making an information request, you can contact us on 0191 518 5552 or email: foi@eastdurham.ac.uk
Requests for Personal Data
Requests for access to information that identifies a living individual (personal data) are processed under Data Protection legislation rather than FOI legislation.
Subject Access Requests (SAR)
What is a Subject Access Request?
Under data protection legislation, individuals (data subjects) have the right to request that a data controller provides them with the following:
- Confirmation that their personal data is being processed
- Access to their personal data
- Other supplementary information about the processing of their personal data.
A SAR is simply a request made by, or on behalf of, an individual. Some requests are directly outside the scope of the Subject Access Request regime and are handled by other processes:
Please direct requests for verification of attendance/qualifications to Student Registry at:
Exam Scripts & SARs
A specific exemption exists in data protection legislation for access to information recorded by students during academic, professional or other exams. A SAR would not result in the provision of the work that the student submitted.
Confidential References
There is a specific exemption regarding confidential references that are sent and received by the College. Therefor these would not be provided.
Making a Subject Access Request
A SAR can be submitted verbally or in writing, but must describe the personal data required. If making a third party request for personal data, please note the special conditions below. Using the College’s Data Subject Access Request Application Form will aid you in providing as much detail as possible relating to the request and will reduce the potential for delays pending clarification.
Proof of identification must be provided, comprising a copy of an official document containing photographic identification, e.g. passport or driving licence.
You can submit the form and/or proof of identification by email to dpo@eastdurham.ac.uk but note that the College will only begin to process a request once it is in receipt of all items.
We may need to provide the response in an accessible format and will work with you to establish what is appropriate.
What happens once I have submitted a request?
The College will send you an acknowledgement of the request. If we need any clarification, or if proof of ID, we will contact you as soon as possible. Once we are in receipt of a clear request and proof of ID we will begin to locate and collate the relevant personal data.
What information will I receive?
The subject access right allows individuals the right to access personal data of which they are the subject. It does not provide the right to access entire documents if the documents do not fully comprise the personal data of the individual. Therefore, in response to a subject access request, an individual may receive partial or redacted documents.
Can I access the personal data of other individuals?
An individual only has the right to access personal data of which they are the subject and there is no right of access to the personal data of friends or family. However, there are some instances in which a request made on behalf of another individual or for a specific purpose (such as the detection or prevention of crime) will be considered.
When will I receive a response to my request?
Under data protection legislation, the College must respond within one calendar month of receiving a request and proof of ID, unless the request is particularly complex, in which case the deadline may be extended by a further two months. Where the College needs to extend a deadline we will write to inform the requestor of this.
How will I receive copies of personal data in response to my request?
Copies of personal data will normally be sent either electronically (by email attachment, using password protection and encryption). If you prefer, you can request that we provide personal data to you orally, but we will only do so if we are able to verify your identity first.
What if I am dissatisfied with the College's response to my request?
If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your subject access request has been processed or dissatisfied with the response that you have been given, please write to the Data Protection Officer in the first instance at dpo@eastdurham.ac.uk so that the College is provided with the opportunity to review the matter and respond to your concerns.
You can also ask the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to carry out an assessment to see whether it is likely or unlikely that the College has responded properly.
The ICO can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk