ICO Publication Scheme

Parish/Community Council


ICO expect Parish/Community Councils to make the information in this definition document available unless

    • it does not hold the information;

  • the information is exempt under one of the FOIA exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations  exceptions, or its release is prohibited by another statute;

  • the information is readily and publicly available from an external website; such information may have been provided by the public authority or on its behalf. The authority must provide a direct link to that information;

  • the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or,

  • it would be impractical or resource-intensive to prepare the material for routine release.

 

This guidance/template gives examples of the kinds of information that we would expect Parish/Community Councils to provide in order to meet their commitments under the model publication scheme. 

 

We would expect Parish/Community Councils to make the information in this definition document available unless:

 

• it does not hold the information; 
• the information is exempt under one of the FOIA exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations  exceptions, or its release is prohibited by another statute; 
• the information is readily and publicly available from an external website; such information may have been provided by the public authority or on its behalf. The authority must provide a direct link to that information;
• the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or, 
• it would be impractical or resource-intensive to prepare the material for routine release.

 

The guidance is not meant to give an exhaustive list of everything that should be covered by a publication scheme. The legal commitment is to the model publication scheme, and public authorities should look to provide as much information as possible on a routine basis.

 

Publishing datasets for re-use

Public authorities must publish under their publication scheme  any dataset they hold that has been requested, together with any updated versions, unless they are satisfied that it is not appropriate to do so. So far as reasonably practicable, they must publish it in an electronic form that is capable of re-use. 

If the dataset or any part of it is a relevant copyright work and the public authority is the only owner, the public authority must make it available for re-use under the terms of a specified licence. Datasets in which the Crown owns the copyright or the database rights are not relevant copyright works. 

The Datasets Code of Practice recommends that public authorities make datasets available for re-use under the Open Government Licence.   

The term ‘dataset’ is defined in section 11(5) of FOIA. The terms ‘relevant copyright work’ and ‘specified licence’ are defined in section 19(8) of FOIA. The ICO has published guidance on the dataset provisions in FOIA. This explains what is meant by “not appropriate” and “capable of re-use”.

 

 

Information to be published 

How the information can be obtained

 

Cost

 

 

Class1 - 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.

 

(hard copy or website)

 

Who’s who on the Council and its Committees

 

 

Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members (named contacts where possible with telephone number and email address (if used))

 

 

Location of main Council office and accessibility details

 

 

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

 

(hard copy or website)

 

Annual return form and report by auditor

 

 

Finalised budget

 

 

Precept

 

 

Borrowing Approval letter

 

 

Financial Standing Orders and Regulations

 

 

Grants given and received

 

 

List of current contracts awarded and value of contract

 

 

Members’ allowances and expenses

 

 

 

 

 

Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing

(Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews)

 

Current and previous year as a minimum

 

(hard copy or website)

 

Parish Plan (current and previous year as a minimum)

 

 

Annual Report to Parish or Community Meeting (current and previous year as a minimum)

 

 

Quality status

 

 

Local charters drawn up in accordance with DCLG guidelines

 

 

 

 

 

Class 4 – How we make decisions

(Decision making processes and records of decisions)

 

Current and previous council year as a minimum

 

(hard copy or website)

 

Timetable of meetings (Council and any committee/sub-committee meetings and parish meetings)

 

 

Agendas of meetings (as above)

 

 

Minutes of meetings (as above) – n.b. this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting.

 

 

Reports presented to council meetings – n.b. this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting.

 

 

Responses to consultation papers

 

 

Responses to planning applications

 

 

Bye-laws

 

 

 

 

 

Class 5 – Our policies and procedures

(Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities)

 

Current information only

 

(hard copy or website)

 

Policies and procedures for the conduct of council business: 

 

Procedural standing orders

Committee and sub-committee terms of reference

Delegated authority in respect of officers

Code of Conduct

Policy statements

 

 

 

Policies and procedures for the provision of services and about the employment of staff:

 

Internal instructions to staff and policies relating to the delivery of services

Equality and diversity policy

Health and safety policy

Recruitment policies (including current vacancies) 

Policies and procedures for handling requests for information

Complaints procedures (including those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme) 

 

 

 

Information security policy

 

 

Records management policies (records retention, destruction and archive)

 

 

Data protection policies 

 

 

Schedule of charges (for the publication of information)

 

 

 

 

 

Class 6 – Lists and Registers

 

Currently maintained lists and registers only

 

(hard copy or website; 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)

 

 

Assets register

 

 

Disclosure log (indicating the information that has been provided in response to requests; recommended as good practice, but may not be held by parish councils)

 

 

Register of members’ interests

 

 

Register of gifts and hospitality

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

(hard copy or website; some information may only be available by inspection)

 

Allotments

 

 

Burial grounds and closed churchyards

 

 

Community centres and village halls

 

 

Parks, playing fields and recreational facilities

 

 

Seating, litter bins, clocks, memorials and lighting

 

 

Bus shelters

 

 

Markets

 

 

Public conveniences

 

 

Agency agreements

 

 

Services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees (e.g. burial fees)

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Information

This will provide Councils with the opportunity to publish information that is not itemised in the lists above

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact details:

 


 

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 @ ..p per sheet (black & white)

Actual cost * 

 

Photocopying @ ..p per sheet (colour)

Actual cost

 

 

 

 

Postage

Actual cost of Royal Mail standard 2nd class

 

 

 

Statutory Fee

 

In accordance with the relevant legislation (quote the actual statute)

 

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* the actual cost incurred by the public authority

Parish/Community Council template guide to information

Version 2

20140612

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