Canterbury Christ Church University
Freedom of Information: Fees Charges
1. Background
Under the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations
2004, the University can refuse to deal with a request that would cost more than £450 to process.
The calculation of the cost can include:
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determining whether the requested information is held
locating and retrieving the information; and
extracting the information.
These Regulations also allow the University to recover some administrative costs incurred in meeting
a request that costs less than £450.
Enquirers will be notified if a charge is payable to answer their request and, in those cases,
information will only be provided once the fee payment has been received.
2. Information already supplied by the University for a Fee
The terms of the Regulations do not affect the University's right to charge for publications and certain
information services offered prior to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 coming into force.
3. Costs of responding to a request estimated at over £450
When estimating the cost of complying with a written request for information the University will take
into account the staff time involved, charged at a fixed rate of £25 per hour per person, involved in the
following activities:
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determining whether the information is held;
locating the information, or a document which may contain the information;
retrieving the information, or a document that may contain the information; and
extracting information from a document.
In general, where the cost of responding to a request in full exceeds the £450 limit, the University will
respond to the enquirer stating that we will not be providing the information requested and explain the
reason (i.e. the cost would exceed £450).
However, we may offer to proceed with the processing of the request in exchange for payment of the
relevant costs in full plus VAT (or in instances where we consider it to be in the public interest to
disclose the information, elect to provide it free of charge).
The decision on whether to provide a full response in such circumstances will rest with the Assistant
University Secretary.
However, in the first instance, the University will discuss with the enquirer whether they would be
prepared to modify the request to reduce the associated costs.
4. Costs of responding to a request estimated at up to £450
Freedom of Information: Fees Charges
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For requests estimated to cost £450 or less to fulfil, the University, will charge only for disbursements
(i.e. postage, photocopying and/or cost to preferred formats) incurred in the course of preparing and
sending a response.
5. Disbursements
The University can charge for disbursements regardless of the £450 limit referred to in paragraphs 3
and 4 and will exercise its discretion in this regard on a case-by-case basis dependant on whether the
administrative costs of levying such charges would outweigh any income generated.
In all cases, there will be no charge where the cost of meeting the request is less than £10.
The rates for disbursements are as follows:
Photocopying:
A4 black-and-white, single-sided 10p per sheet
A4 black-and-white, double-sided 20p per sheet
A3 black-and-white, single-sided 20p per sheet
A3 black-and-white, double-sided 40p per sheet
A4 colour, single-sided £1.00 per sheet
A4 colour, double-sided £2.00 per sheet
A3 colour, single-sided £1.50 per sheet
A3 colour, double-sided £3.00 per sheet
Printing:
A4 black-and-white, single sided 10p per sheet
A4 black-and-white, double sided 20p per sheet
A4 colour, single-sided £1.00
A4 colour, double-sided £2.00
Electronic Formats*:
Floppy disk 20p per disk
CD-R £1.00 per disk
(*applies to copies of documents available in an appropriate electronic format. The rendering of
information into an electronic format from hard copy, and rendering information from one electronic
format to another, will be at cost).
Photography, microfilming: At cost
Postage and packing: At cost
Freedom of Information: Fees Charges
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6. VAT
VAT will be charged on any appropriate fees connected with an information access request,
calculated at the standard rate. Where a book or booklet is provided in response to an information
request, the VAT charged on the publication will be zero-rated
7. Aggregating requests
In certain circumstances, if the University receives two or more related requests, the costs of
answering them may be added together (or 'aggregated') to determine whether the limit has been
exceeded.
These circumstances are as follows:
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the requests must be from the same person or from "different persons who appear to the
public authority to be acting in concert or in pursuance of a campaign"
the requests must relate to the same or similar information, and
the requests must have been received by the University within a period of 60 consecutive
working days.
8. Payment of fees
Once the University has calculated any relevant fees that may be payable in connection with an
information access request, enquirers will be issued with a letter called a 'fees notice' and will be
required to pay the specified costs before the University responds to the request in full.
After a period of three months, any such request for which the fees have not been received will be
deemed to have been withdrawn.
Document History
Version 1.0
Version 1.1
Version 1.2
Prepared by Assistant University Secretary
17 January 2005
Revised by Assistant University Secretary to take account of 1 September 2005
title change
Updated by Assistant University Secretary
16 March 2009
Freedom of Information: Fees Charges
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