Freedom of Information request?

[SanFranBear]

Following on from the thread around whether your local LA had changed 'sex' to 'gender' in their Equality Policy, I investigated to see whether this was the case with my county council.

I found a policy relating to education (where sex wasn't even mentioned other than the word woman in their 'Gender Equality' section.) I emailed about this and then asked about an overall equality policy.

I got an email back this morning saying this has been classed as a FOI request and will take 20 days to respond to.

Is this normal? It's a policy document which I thought should be in the public domain? If it's fine, I shall just wait the 20 days to see what they come back with (am guessing the content of my email has given the heads up as to what I want to check) but wasn't sure whether I should challenge?

I don't see why asking to see a council policy should be classed as a FOI request. It should be a public document

It would be interesting to see if there was any documentation showing why all these councils changed the wording so they didn't include sex as a protected characteristic.

I wonder if there is any mileage in people who live in the areas of local authorities who have admitted they got it wrong asking why the policy was changed.

Like you, I have written to the LA.

Knowing that my letter would probably be passed to someone in their Equalities unit, I sent my letter to a woman councillor who chairs the committee overseeing the enforcement of the Equality Act.

It was my preferred route to write to someone OTHER than the people who have their fingerprints all over the gender policies. They are going to feel very silly when all this business comes out in the wash. I'm being kind to them. They could face worse.

In your case, I think that the response shows ignorance and is probaly a mistake .

I would send a copy of your correspondence in an email to a couple of female councillors. Most councillors are up for re-election in 2019 and seem very keen to be helpful. (funny that!)

Any written request to a public body, for information about that body, can/ should be treated as an FOI request as there are expectations placed upon them about speed of response etc.

However, I would expect them to simply send you the policy of signpost you to where it is held - as this is what is done in situations where it is simple to supply the information. I expect the response you got is a 'holding' one based on a template.

Did you email the council or a councillor? I've found councillor's easier to deal with, if they then follow up most councils will take a councillor's letter more seriously than one from a member of the public. Sometimes have to blanket email councillors to find one who will follow up on a particular issue.

Thank you.

I did email the council itself as opposed to a specific councillor and think MsBeauJangles has probably got it as it wasn't very personal - the sentence relating to my question has been copied and pasted into the reply.

They didn't answer my question about why all references to sex had been removed from the education policy either.

I think I may give them a day or so to respond on that point and will then contact the lead for the equality unit/board about it and include the request for the overall policy.

On a more positive note, my city council is covering every base imaginable with their Equality & Diversity statement 😁

I got an email back this morning saying this has been classed as a FOI request and will take 20 days to respond to.

Is this normal?

I work in the public sector and it is standard for enquiries like yours to be channelled via the team that deals with FOIA. It ensures the enquirer gets a timely reply and the organisation can more easily keep a weather eye on emerging topics to update FAQs or public information and/or recycle info used recently for v similar enquiries.

SanFranBear
A lot of people found a simple polite (public) tweet to the LA was very effective.

You can see some of the Twitter exchanges embedded in the WPUK article:
womansplaceuk.org/grassroots-womens-pressure-forces-local-authorities-to-comply-with-the-law-over-sex-and-gender/

Thanks Boatyard - really helpful. They specifcally pulled out the request for the policy as being the FOI request so shall wait to hear about the other questions I had about their education framework. Although I guess it may be one and the same?

I'm not on Twitter, seems too much like a bun fight and I get a bit anxious & emotional when someone disagrees with a mildly held opinion so think I would be destroyed on there

I'm not on Twitter, seems too much like a bun fight and I get a bit anxious & emotional when someone disagrees with a mildly held opinion so think I would be destroyed on there

I completely understand this and think its a really serious point.

You have realised that a LA is incorrectly quoting Equalities Act legislation and likely mis-applying it.

The toxic environment on Twitter has prevented you raising this directly with your LA!

Twitter is incredibly powerful and has disenfranchised so many people (especially women) either through fear, or because they simply don't use this particular SM platform.