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Chedworth Parish Council Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme Adopted November 2009 INTRODUCTION The Freedom of Information Act The Freedom of
Information Act grants to members of the public rights of access to all kinds
of recorded information held by a wide range of public authorities. Information about the Act is available from
the Information Commissioner’s Office at www.ico.gov.uk Publication Scheme The Act requires every
public authority to adopt and maintain a generic model publication scheme which
should be adopted and operated by all public authorities from 1 January
2009. Chedworth Parish Council adopted
the generic model publication scheme at their Council Meeting on 16th November
2009. It is intended to provide everyone
interested in the Council with a comprehensive guide to the information that
the Council will automatically or routinely publish or otherwise makes
available to the public. Freedom of Information Requests and the Publication
Scheme It is important to note
that a publication scheme simply sets out the information that is routinely
available. Information that is not
listed in the Information Available Guide of this document can still be
requested and it will be made available unless it can be legitimately
withheld. This can be done by making a
written request to the Parish Clerk who will reply within 20 working days after
receipt of the request. The Council’s Commitment to the Act The Council is committed
to openness and accountability and already makes large amounts of information
available to the public, through the website, via the telephone and by
post. Should anyone require a personal
visit to view information, an appointment will be necessary. 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
What
we spend and how we spend it. What
our priorities are and how we are doing. How
we make decisions. Our
policies and procedures. Lists
and registers. The
services we offer. 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
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 from 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
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 AVAILABLE FROM
CHEDWORTH PARISH COUNCIL UNDER THE MODEL PUBLICATION SCHEME. The Parish Council website address is www.chedworth.org.uk/parish-council PLEASE CONTACT THE CLERK IF YOU DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS. Clerk
to the Parish Council: Mrs Elizabeth
Broad, Brookvale, Chedworth,
Cheltenham, Glos GL54 4AB
Telephone: 01285 720313 Email: parishcouncil@chedworth.org.uk Schedule
of charges: ·
Provision
of hard copy @ 10p per A4 black & white sheet based on actual cost to
Parish Council ·
Postage
based on actual cost of Royal Mail standard 2nd class to Parish Council
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