FOI Request - Freedom of Information Data

Request 101003877213

Please provide the following information for the most recent full financial year available:

1.  The total number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests handled.

2.  The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) and part-time employees involved in handling FOI requests.

3.  The names of any software systems or tools used by the FOI team to manage or track requests.

4.  The total annual cost of those software systems.

5.  Any statistics or recorded information showing the average, median, and (if available) upper-quartile time spent per FOI request.

6.  The total salary cost of each employee (or, if easier, the total salary expenditure for all FOI-handling staff).

7.  Copies of any internal communications, reports, or evaluations discussing the cost or effectiveness of FOI handling.

8.  Confirmation of whether the system used for FOI handling is also used for Subject Access Requests, complaints, or any other casework.

Response 25-11-2025

1. The information requested is published and available online and is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find a link to the web page here: https://www.foi.scot/statistics

Please also see Information Governance Annual Report 2024-25 attached.

2. Please see the Information Governance Annual Report 2024/25 linked in Q1

Service staff are also vital in responding to FOIs.

3. The Council’s CRM, Lagan, is the central database for logging and responding to FOIs.

4. Not held. The database is used across the Council and no individual figures are held on the proportionate cost for FOIs. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.

5. Please see the Information Governance Annual Report 2024/25 linked in Q1

6. Due to the low numbers of staff involved, release of this information could result in the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal Information.

7. Not held. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.

8. Yes, it is the Council’s CRM database.