Re-use of public sector information

The Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 are intended to encourage and make it easier to re-use information produced by public organisations. 

Re-use means the use of information for any purpose other than that for which it was originally produced. For example, this would mean an individual, company or other organisation taking information that we have produced and republishing it or using it to produce a new resource.

Find out more about re-using public sector information:

• What is public sector information
• Information that we can't release
• Make a re-use of information request
• What happens after
• Re-using information
• Licenses

What is public sector information

Public sector information means any information which is produced, held or distributed by a public sector body as part of its 'public task'. 

This information can be in any format and includes reports, financial data, codes of practices, public records, statistics, images, press releases, publication schemes and information which the council holds the copyright to. 

Information that we can't release

Some information cannot be released under the regulations:

• Information with third party copyright
• Information that cannot be disclosed as per the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, the Data Protection Act 1998, the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and the INSPIRE (Scotland) Regulations
• Information which is not produced as part of our public task

Make a re-use of information request

You must submit your request in writing and include: 

• your name and contact details 
• the information requested
• the purpose for which you intend to use the information 

You should send your request to the Freedom of Information team. 

What happens after

When dealing with your request, we will:

• respond within 20 working days
• let you know if we need longer to complete your request 
• approve the re-use of the information requested 
• provide the information for re-use in the format and language in which we hold it

Re-using information

When re-using the information, then you must acknowledge Aberdeenshire Council.

You must not use the information for any illegal purpose or in a way which is harmful to the purpose for which it was originally created.

Licences

There may be some conditions on re-use, but we will try to keep them to a minimum. The Open Government Licence allows re-use of public sector information without charge for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, with few conditions.

Contact

Freedom of Information
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
Aberdeen 
AB16 5GB
Email: foi@aberdeenshire.gov.uk