Guide to Information
Information available from Backwell Parish Council under the model publication scheme.
| Information to be published | How the information can be obtained | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 – Who we are and what we do (Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts). This will be current information only. N.B. Councils should already be publishing as much information as possible about how they can be contacted. |
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| Who’s Who on the Council and its Committees | hard copy and/or website | 10p a sheet |
| Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members (named contacts where possible with telephone number and e.mail address (if used) | hard copy and/or website | 10p a sheet |
| Location of main Council office and accessibility details | website | |
| Staffing structure | ||
| Class 2 – What we spend and how we spend it (Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit). Current and previous financial year as a minimum. |
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| Annual return form and report by auditor | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Finalised budget | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Precept | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Borrowing Approval letter | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Financial Standing Orders and Regulations | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Grants given and received | hard copy and or website | 10p a sheet |
| List of current contracts awarded and value of contract | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing (Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews). |
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| Annual Report to Parish or Community Meeting (current and previous year as a minimum) | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Class 4 – How we make decisions (Decision making processes and records of decisions). Current and previous council year as a minimum. |
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| Timetable of meetings (Council, any committee/sub-committee meetings and parish meetings) | hard copy and or website | 10p a sheet |
| Agendas of meetings (as above) | website | 10p a sheet |
| Minutes of meetings (as above) – N.B. This will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. | website | 10p a sheet |
| Reports presented to Council meetings – N.B. this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting | hard copy and or website | 10p a sheet |
| Responses to consultation papers | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Responses to planning applications | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Class 5 – Our policies and procedures (Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities). Current information only. |
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| Policies and procedures for the conduct of Council business | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Procedural standing orders | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Committee and sub-committee terms of reference | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Code of Conduct | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Policy Statements | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Complaints procedures (including those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme) | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Schedule of charges (for the publication of information) | website | |
| Class 6 – Lists and Registers (Currently maintained lists and registers only). Some information may only be available by inspection. Any publicly available register or list (if any are held this should be publicised; in most circumstances existing access provisions will suffice). |
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| Assets Register | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Register of members’ interests | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Register of gifts and hospitality | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Class 7 – The services we offer (Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced for the public and businesses). Current information only (some information may only be available by inspection) |
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| Allotments | upon inspection | |
| Parks, playing fields and recreational facilities | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Seating, litter bins, clocks, memorials and lighting | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| Bus shelters | hard copy | 10p a sheet |
| A summary of services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees (e.g. burial fees) | allotments only upon inspection | |
| Additional Information This will provide Councils with the opportunity to publish information that is not itemised in the lists above |
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Schedule of Charges
This describes how the charges have been arrived at and should be published as part of the guide.
| TYPE OF CHARGE | DESCRIPTION | BASIS OF CHARGE |
|---|---|---|
| Disbursement cost | Photocopying | Actual cost 10p per sheet (black and white) |
| Photocopying @ (colour) – not available | ||
| Postage | Royal MailStandard 2nd class | Actual cost 32p |
| Statutory Fee | n/a | In accordance with the relevant legislation (quote the actual statute) |
| Other | n/a | |
Model Publication Scheme
This model publication scheme has been prepared and approved by the Information Commissioner. It may be adopted without modification by any public authority without further approval and will be valid until further notice.
This publication scheme commits an authority to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The information covered is included in the classes of information mentioned below, where this information is held by the authority. Additional assistance is provided to the definition of these classes in sector specific guidance manuals issued by the Information Commissioner.
The scheme commits an authority:
- To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information, including environmental information, which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
- To specify the information which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
- To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information in line with the statements contained within this scheme.
- To produce and publish the methods by which the specific information is made routinely available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public.
- To review and update on a regular basis the information the authority makes available under this scheme.
- To produce a schedule of any fees charged for access to information which is made proactively available.
- To make this publication scheme available to the public.
Classes of Information
Who we are and what we do.
Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance.
What we spend and how we spend it.
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts.
What our priorities are and how we are doing.
Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.
How we make decisions.
Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations.
Our policies and procedures.
Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities.
Lists and Registers.
Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority.
The Services we Offer.
Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered.
The classes of information will not generally include:
- Information the disclosure of which is prevented by law, or exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or is otherwise properly considered to be protected from disclosure.
- Information in draft form.
- Information that is no longer readily available as it is contained in files that have been placed in archive storage, or is difficult to access for similar reasons.
The method by which information published under this scheme will be made available.
The authority will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained.
Where it is within the capability of a public authority, information will be provided on a website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on a website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, a public authority will indicate how information can be obtained by other means and provide it by those means.
In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person. Where this manner is specified, contact details will be provided. An appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable timescale.
Information will be provided in the language in which it is held or in such other language that is legally required. Where an authority is legally required to translate any information, it will do so.
Obligations under disability and discrimination legislation and any other legislation to provide information in other forms and formats will be adhered to when providing information in accordance with this scheme.
Charges which may be made for Information published under this scheme.
The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the authority for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum.
Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge.
Charges may be made for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament.
Charges may be made for actual disbursements incurred such as:
- photocopying
- postage and packaging
- the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information
Charges may also be made for information provided under this scheme where they are legally authorised, they are in all the circumstances, including the general principles of the right of access to information held by public authorities, justified and are in accordance with a published schedule or schedules of fees which is readily available to the public.
If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.
Written Requests
Information held by a public authority that is not published under this scheme can be requested in writing, when its provision will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.