WANT to know more about your local police force, health trust, council or schools?

Interested in knowing how much money is spent when royalty visits your area, how much of your tax goes on top civil servants' pensions — or your MP's expenses?

Keen to find out how many kilos of drugs are intercepted coming into Wales, how many assaults take place in your local prison, or even how many UFO sightings have been recorded in your area?

The UK Freedom of Information Act, which came into force five years ago, is designed to make around 100,000 public authorities more open and accountable.

The act excludes security and intelligence bodies, and also lays out exemptions to protect things like trade secrets. Public bodies may also put up the shutters by saying the information requested will, if released, prejudice the detection of crime.

But challenges by journalists can yield results.

For example, we revealed that ex-acting chief executive of the former Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust, Calum Campbell, was awarded a £174,000 pay-out after missing out on a top job.

The Post got a glimpse of life in the clink at Swansea Prison by finding out there were 30 recorded inmate-on-inmate assaults between April 2008 and March 2009.

Nearly a fifth of prisoners tested positive for more than one drug during that period, and 10 allegations of bullying by prison wardens were made, although none were substantiated.

Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, the Post reported motorists successfully appealed against one in seven tickets issued by Swansea Council traffic wardens between November 2008 and 2009.

We also revealed that wardens were assaulted nine times in an 18-month period.

We also revealed that major defence companies sponsor Swansea University's school of engineering, and that Swansea Council's chief executive and five directors earned £135,000 between them in pension contributions in 2008/9.

Some public bodies say they are inundated with freedom of information requests not only from journalists, but from politicians, individuals and campaign groups.

South Wales Police said it receives around 1,000 requests a year, including details on how many fish tanks it has in its stations, and what the force policy was on using clairvoyants during investigations.

You can imagine these requests raising groans and chuckles among officialdom, but when it comes to the Freedom of Information Act, journalists — like clairvoyants — can definitely the see the future in it.

richard.youle@swwmedia.co.uk