Re-use of public sector information

When do you need a licence to re-use Wokingham Borough Councils information?

All our information is copyrighted. This means there are rules to how the information we create is re-used by others. For the most part information can be readily re-used under our standard licence - copyright and disclaimer. The standard licence need not be applied for because all council owned information is protected by it. The standard licence does not however cover individuals or businesses if they wish to use council material for commercial use.

If by using our copyrighted material a business is adding commercial value to a product, a database, an event or any other commercial venture the user needs to ask us if they can re-use the material for the purpose.

How do I ask for permission to re-use the council’s information?

By filling in an application form.

When you fill in an application form you are actually requesting a special licence to re-use our information for commercial purposes. A copy of the application form is attached to the bottom of this webpage for you to download/print off. Instructions on where to send the application form are contained on the application form. Hard copies of application forms are also available from the address below.

Chief Executives Office - Freedom of Information

Wokingham Borough Council

Shute End

Wokingham

Berkshire

RG40 1WQ

Applicants will be notified within 20 working days starting the day after the receipt of the application as to whether their application is successful or not.

Where documents requested for re-use are extensive in quantity or the request raises complex issues we may extend the period for responding by such time as is reasonable in the circumstances as stated in the Re-Use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 section 8.

Why do you need to apply for a licence for information that is to be re-used for commercial purposes?

Much of the material created by us has taken a long time to research by many skilled people. These materials are known as 'Intellectual Assets.' If intellectual assets owned by us have the potential to add commercial value to anything it is added to, the council maybe entitled to a return from the re-user in the form of a charge for the re-use of its’ information. The Re-Use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 section 15 state that:

A public sector body may charge for allowing re-use
The total income from any charge shall not exceed the sum of
Te cost of collection, production, reproduction and dissemination of documents
Areasonable return on investment.

Charging

Our policy on charging for the collation and printing of information is attached to the bottom of this page. Details for charging for 'a reasonable return on investment' are not yet published but are agreed by the Freedom of Information team working within Wokingham Borough Council.

How do I complain about a Re-use issue?

If you are unhappy with the way in which your request to re-use information has been handled, you can make a complaint.

The complaints procedure for the Re-use of Public Sector Information works in the same way as the complaints procedure under Freedom of Information. Click here if you would like to complain to the council.

The Government Department that oversees The Re-use of Public Sector Information is the Office for Public Sector Information - OPSI. If you are not satisfied with the Council's response to your complaint, you can complain directly to OPSI. For further details about making complaints to OPSI – find out how to complain to the OPSI.