Open Government Act (Woo).

Do you need special information? You can make an information request or a Woo request. You can read what the difference is here.

An information request

You make an information request when you want information that is important only to yourself. You need the information, for example, to file a complaint or for an objection procedure. The information we send you will not be made public.
To request information, send an e-mail to nl With the subject line: Information request.

A Woo request 

You make a Woo request if you want information to become public to anyone. You can make a request to make documents on a particular subject public. You can also request disclosure of one or more specific documents.

The Woo distinguishes between active and passive open government. 

Active publicity

Active disclosure means that the municipality itself, of its own accord, discloses information about policy and implementation, for example on the Voorne aan Zee website, in brochures or through the announcements on the government website.

Passive publicity

Passive disclosure means that anyone has the right to submit a request for certain documents or records to the municipality. However, certain restrictions apply:

• The request must relate to administrative information (information on municipal policies, including their preparation and implementation).
• The request must relate to existing information recorded in documents.
• Exceptions may apply; they are defined in the law.
   

In some cases, the municipality does not provide information. Then, according to the municipality, there is a certain reason for it. Those reasons include:

• Data that jeopardize the financial or economic interest of the municipality.
• Data whose importance of disclosure does not outweigh the importance of respecting personal privacy.
• Data that individuals or companies have provided confidentially to the municipality.
• Data for which the importance of disclosure does not outweigh the importance of inspection, control and monitoring by the municipality.
• And finally, data where, if the municipality were to make them public, there would be a clear benefit to a particular party, such as a company, while another party would suffer.
   

The municipality must make a decision on the request to disclose documents within four weeks. The decision may be postponed once for a period of two weeks. If the information can be disclosed, it must be done within four weeks of receiving the request.

If the municipality expects an interested party to object to the provision of the information, the municipality may not provide the information until two weeks after the publication of the decision that the information will be provided.
 

You can file a Woo request in several ways. 

Online 

Submit Woo request with DigiD

Submit Woo request with eRecognition

Need help arranging or apply something from the digital government? Then contact the Digital Government Information Point.

By email 

You may submit your request by email at nl
We will not consider a Woo request submitted via a non-personal email address. 

By mail 

A Woo request can be submitted in writing by addressing your letter to:
College van Burgemeester en Wethouders van Voorne aan Zee
Postbus 13
3220 AA Hellevoetsluis

When submitting a Woo request, please include at least the following:

• On what subject you want to receive information or exactly what documents you are requesting. The information must be about municipality policy or its preparation and implementation. The information must be in documents. Your request must be for information held by the municipality.
• In which way you would like to receive the information (by e-mail or mail).
• Your contact information.
• Are you submitting a Woo request as a representative or authorized representative of an organization or other person? If so, please attach an authorization and a copy of a valid ID (such as driver's license, passport) to the request.

The clearer you are (preferably by mentioning the document by name), the faster the municipality can serve you. The municipality will be quicker and better able to make a decision on the request for information if the request is as specific and clear as possible. The municipality may charge a fee for providing information, as stipulated in the Fees Ordinance.

More information about the Woo can be found on the Rijksoverheid website and Overheid.nl. Here you can read, for example, about why some information does not have to be public and the limits on giving government information.