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Freedom of Information Act 2000
Freedom of Information Act, 2000 Bridgerule Parish Council adopted the "Model Publication Scheme for Local Councils" on 2nd December 2002 which was reviewed in March 2005. The requirement to adopt a Publication Scheme has been placed on a wide range of public authorities including local councils by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act is intended to encourage organisations to publish more information to ensure that decision making is more transparent, open and accountable.
In accordance with the Act, the Parish Council wish to inform members of the public that copies of the following items are available on request to the Clerk of the Council subject to a small charge to cover administration. PUBLICATION SCHEME CORE CLASSES OF INFORMATION 1) COUNCIL INTERNAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Minutes of Council, committee and sub-committee meetings Procedural Standing orders Council 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 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: - 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. The Secretary of State has authorised the Clerk to Bridgerule Parish Council Mrs Linda Packer as the primary qualified person under section 36 of the Act and when the Clerk is absent the Chairman to the Council, Cllr. Ken James. Section 36 of the Act provides for information to be exempt from disclosure where that information would, or would be likely to. inhibit: -
the free and frank provision of advice, or -
the free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation, or -
the effective conduct of public affairs The exemption will only apply if the reasonable opinion of a qualified person is that any of the above effects would or would be likely to follow from a disclosure.
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