WELNEY PARISH COUNCIL

Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme

June 2006 - The Council have withdrawn from this website and this page will no longer be updated

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act

In January 2003, Welney Parish Council adopted the model publication scheme and the mandatory first six "core classes" of information it must make available. The Council did not adopt any of the optional items in those six classes, nor any of the optional classes, numbers 7 to 13. On 11th March 2003 the Clerk confirmed that the Information Commissioner had received the Council's acceptance of the Core Classes.

MODEL PUBLICATION SCHEME FOR LOCAL COUNCILS

This is a model publication scheme for parish, town and community councils (known collectively as ‘local councils’) in England and Wales. Local councils are the first tier of local government. There are over 10,000 such councils in England and Wales and they have a wide range of powers at their disposal.

The purpose of the scheme is to be a means by which local councils can make a significant amount of information available routinely, without waiting for someone to specifically request it. The scheme is intended to encourage local councils to publish more information proactively and to develop a greater culture of openness and transparency.

In accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the scheme specifies the classes of information which local councils publish or intend to publish. Bearing in mind local councils are so diverse in size and functions it was decided the most practical approach was that the model scheme should firstly be comprised of a number of core classes of information which are mandatory. However, it also includes a number of optional documents (within those core classes) as well as a group of totally ‘new’ optional classes. Any optional documents within a core class of information are clearly specified therein. The idea behind such an approach is that councils can incorporate the optional documents and classes as they see fit to reflect the information they provide to the general public on a local basis. It is not however, a prerequisite that a council adopts any of the optional documents or classes. The intention behind the inclusion of optional classes and documents is to add a degree of choice and flexibility in the scheme.

In some cases a class of information sets out a range of information which is excluded from publication Where that is the case the reasons behind the decision to exclude are clearly stated. Excluded throughout the model scheme is general correspondence sent or received by councils and all information relating to private individuals by virtue of it being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998.

In certain classes a limitation on the age of some documents has also been stipulated. For the avoidance of doubt this does not mean information beyond that date cannot be obtained, it simply indicates that it is not available as a matter of course within the model publication scheme.

If original documents are more readily available from another source, details of that organisation are again specified in the scheme.

The information contained in each class will be available in a variety of formats namely in hard copy on request from the clerk of the council, by inspection at the council office or other suitable premises by prior appointment or, where a council has a website some of the information may be available thereon.

Reasonable charges may be raised for the provision of copies of the documents/information listed in each of the classes. A charge of 10p per A4 sheet copies was agreed by the Welney Parish Council held on their meeting on 10th February 2005.

 

The classes are as follows:-

CORE CLASSES OF INFORMATION

1) COUNCIL INTERNAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Minutes of council, committee and sub-committee meetings – limited to the last 2 years.

Procedural Standing Orders

Councils Annual Report to Parish Meeting

2) CODE OF CONDUCT

Members Declaration of Acceptance of Office

Members Register of Interests

Register of Members Interests Book

3) PERIODIC ELECTORAL REVIEW

This is information concerning changes to the electoral arrangements for parish, town and community councils. It includes recommendations for the creation of new wards, the amendment of existing wards, proposals for the names of new wards and alterations to the number of councillors to be elected to the council.

Information relating to the last Periodic Electoral Review of the council area

Information relating to the latest boundary review of the council area

4) EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Terms & conditions of employment

Job descriptions

Optional documents: -

Equal Opportunities Policy

Health & Safety Policy

Staffing Structure

Exclusions – ‘personal records’ i.e. appraisals, employee specific salary details, disciplinary records, sickness records and the like by virtue of being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998

5) PLANNING DOCUMENTS

Responses to planning applications

Optional documents: -

Parish Plan

Exclusions – Copies of planning consultations, the Development Plan, Structure Plan, Local Plan and Rights of Way/Footpath maps all of which are available from the local planning and/or highway authority respectively

6) AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS

Annual return form – limited to the last financial year

Annual Statutory report by auditor (internal and external) – limited to the last financial year

Receipt/Payment books, Receipt books of all kinds, Bank Statements from all accounts – limited to the last financial year

Precept request – limited to the last financial year

VAT records – limited to the last financial year

Financial Standing Orders and Regulations

Assets register – this will include details of commons/village greens owned by the council including management schemes for commons as well as village halls, community centres and recreation grounds.

Risk Assessments

Optional documents: -

Loan sanction approvals

Fees and charges applied by the council

Safety inspection records for example for playgrounds

Register/file of members allowances

Exclusions – all commercially sensitive information e.g. quotations and tenders, loan documentation and insurance policies. With regard to quotations and tenders, this information is treated as confidential to ensure that the whole tender process is fair i.e. if tender information is released to a third party prior to the end of the tender period those who initially submitted tenders could be undercut and/or unfairly disadvantaged.