Publication scheme

Who we are and what we do

Most of this information can be found on our website in the footer menu area.

• Information about our Board of Trustees and Senior Management Team - The leadership team
• Our Charitable Objects and the legislation and governance which apply to us - The Royal Parks charity Parks
• Our rules on procurement  - Procurement 
• Our publications - Publications & policies
• Our Business Plans and Annual Reports  - Publications & policies
• Our careers policy - Careers

How we manage the parks

• Park management plans - Park management plans
• Legislation and regulations - Park regulations, legislation and policies 
• Strategies - Park strategies 
• Conservation - Biodiversity & conservation
• Consultations 
• Policing - Policing & safety

What we spend and how we spend it

The Royal Parks is a charity that receives a limited amount of public money. Our annual reports contain details on how the money we generate and receive is spent in order to maintain the parks. (see ‘Our Publications’ above).

There is no charge for using our website. See note on copyright below.

For physical copies of any information on our website where available, please use the form at get in touch.

Guidance will be provided where charges may apply for publications.

Before making an FOI request, it is worth checking to see if the information is already available via our website. If you cannot find the information you require after searching there, you may have to submit a request for information.

This should be submitted in writing to:

Records
The Royal Parks
The Old Police House
Hyde Park
London
W2 2UH

Or by Email: records@royalparks.org.uk

Be specific
You will get the information faster if you help us identify the exact information you require. It will also mean that your request is less likely to be turned down on cost grounds. Make sure that you:

• are specific about exactly what information you want
• provide us with a narrow, tightly focused request
• give, where appropriate, a relevant time frame the information relates to

You should state how you wish to receive the information, by letter or by email.

Please note that we cannot accept FOI requests over the phone. FOI requests from anonymous / pseudonymous requesters, that is people who do not give their names or give false names, may not be accepted.

We will deal with your request as quickly as we can and will aim to let you have a response within 20 working days. If for any reason we are unable to let you have a response within 20 working days we will contact you as soon as possible explaining the reason for this.

Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Requests

The Royal Parks is subject to both the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), which provide rights of access to information held by public authorities and certain organisations carrying out public functions.

While many requests are considered under FOIA, information relating to the environment is generally considered under the Environmental Information Regulations. Environmental information covers a wide range of topics, including matters affecting or relating to:

• Parks and green spaces
• Wildlife, biodiversity and conservation
• Trees, landscapes and habitats
• Air, water, soil and natural resources
• Environmental projects and management activities
• Planning, development and land use
• The environmental impacts of policies, decisions and activities

Requests for information can be made by anyone, anywhere in the world. You do not need to specify whether your request is made under FOIA or EIR. Where a request relates to environmental information, we will consider it under the Environmental Information Regulations.

The Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations are regulated by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent authority responsible for upholding information rights.

FOI/EIR Disclosure Log

Before submitting a request, we recommend consulting our FOI/EIR Disclosure Log, which is available on this page. The Disclosure Log contains responses to completed Freedom of Information and Environmental Information requests received by The Royal Parks and is published in accordance with the ICO Model Publication Scheme.

The log includes:

• The reference number and subject of each request;
• The date the request was received and responded to;
• Whether the request was answered within the statutory timescale; and
• Details of any exemptions or exceptions applied where information could not be disclosed in full. 

We regularly update our Disclosure Log and publish information disclosed in response to requests where we consider it may be of wider public interest. Before submitting a new request, we encourage you to review the Disclosure Log and request a copy of any published response that may be relevant to your enquiry. Obtaining information already held within the Disclosure Log is often significantly quicker than submitting a new Freedom of Information or Environmental Information request.

How to Make a Request

To request information held by The Royal Parks, please contact us using one of the following methods:

• Email: records@royalparks.org.uk
• Online Enquiry Form: Please select the appropriate category or include "FOI" or "EIR" in the subject line.

To help us identify and locate the information you require, please provide as much detail as possible, including relevant dates, locations, projects, correspondence or subject areas where known.

Our Response

We will normally respond to requests within 20 working days of receipt.

In some circumstances, where a request for environmental information is particularly complex or involves a large volume of information, the response period may be extended to 40 working days in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations. If this applies, we will inform you as soon as possible.

We aim to disclose information wherever possible. However, both FOIA and EIR contain exemptions and exceptions that may allow information to be withheld in certain circumstances. Where information cannot be disclosed, we will explain our reasons and provide details of your right to request an internal review. If you remain dissatisfied following the internal review process, you may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

For further information about your information rights, please visit the Information Commissioner's Office website at: www.ico.org.uk

The Royal Parks is a registered charity and not a government department or government body and therefore not subject to Crown Copyright rules and regulations. While the information is viewable on our website free of charge, copyright is claimed on materials, publications and photographs. Unauthorised reproduction and secondary use of material on the website is restricted under copyright law.