Freedom of Information Policy
LONDONTHORPE & HARROWBY WITHOUT
PARISH COUNCIL
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – PUBLICATION SCHEME
First Published: May 2010
Revised: 10th September 2016
A. INTRODUCTION
The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2000 gives a general right of access to information held by public authorities, subject to certain defined exemptions Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without Parish Council is such a public authority as defined by the Act.
The Council is required to adopt and maintain a "Publication Scheme" setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information.
This document sets out the Publication Scheme first adopted by the Council in May 2010. Amended in Sept 2019 The Scheme has been approved by the Information Commissioner (see Section G, Further Information & Acknowledgements).
Copies of this document are available from the Parish Clerk.
B. HOW WE PUBLISH INFORMATION
In this context to "publish" information simply means to make it publicly available.
All the classes of information detailed in Section D (Information to be made available) are available in hard copy form. The FOI specifies that applications should be made in writing (or by e-mail) and that, in general, a response by the Council must be provided within 20 working days. If a fee is required, the period of up to 20 working days is extended by up to 3 months until the fee is paid. Fees are payable in advance.
All requests for information under the Act should be sent in writing to the Clerk (see Section E, Contact Details).
To make access as easy as possible, the Council places some key information on the internet at ( old wesbite: http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/LondonthorpeandHarrowbyWithout/)
C. CHARGES
The Parish Council will make no charge for information accessed from the website.
For information provided by the Clerk, the Act allows the Parish Council to make a reasonable charge. The fee levied will recover all disbursements necessary in meeting any individual information request to the maximum degree permitted under the fees regulations, and is payable in advance. (Copies 10p per sheet plus postage)
Very substantial information requests may incur additional charges. (One and a half times Clerks Hourly Rate)
Fees may be varied from time to time in accordance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Justice and/or the Information Commissioner.
D. INFORMATION TO BE MADE AVAILABLE
The FOI groups together different kinds of information into categories which it calls "Classes"; there are the six "Core Classes" of information available from Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without Parish Council:
1. COUNCIL INTERNAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
Minutes of Council, committee and sub-committee meetings (last 2 years only)
Procedural Standing Orders
Council's Annual Report to Parish Meeting (last two years only)
2.CODE OF CONDUCT
Members Declaration of Acceptance of Office
Members Register of Interests Records
3.PERIODIC ELECTORAL REVIEW
Information relating to the last Periodic Electoral Review of the Parish Council area
Information relating to the latest boundary review of the Parish Council area
4.EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
Terms and conditions of employment of Parish Council employees
Job descriptions for Parish Council employees
Exclusions – ‘personal records’ i.e. appraisals, employee specific salary details, disciplinary records, sickness recordsand the like by virtue of being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998
5.PLANNING DOCUMENTS
All Planning applications and the Council's comments on them are available upon written notice (last 2 years only)
NB – Some of the Council's comments are also summarised in "minutes of council meetings".
NB – Most planning applications made by applicants within the parish are available for inspection by appointment with the Clerk given at least 1 week’s written notice.
NB - Planning approvals are granted by South Kesteven District Council (see Section F, Other Local Authorities). Plans may also be viewed at SKDC offices or on their website at www.southkesteven.gov.uk 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 or highway authority (see Section F (below)).
6.AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS
Annual return form (limited to the last financial year).
Annual Statutory report by internal and external auditor (limited to the last financial year).
Receipt/Payment books, 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 (including details of all land and buildings owned by the Parish Council).
Risk Assessments.
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.
CONTACT DETAILS: All requests for information under the FOI Act should be made in writing to:
Mr Peter A Armstrong Clerk to Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without Parish Council
27 Belton Ave, Grantham, Lincs NG31 9JE
Tel No: 07929321426 – Email: londonthorpeharrowby@ntlworld.com – Website: www.
The Clerk will be happy to give advice as to whether the Parish Council holds the information being sought and the search fees involved. Information requested under the Act will not be supplied until the due fee has been received.
F. OTHER LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without Parish Council is at the most local level of local government. The area is also covered by a District Council (whose responsibilities includes planning, environmental health and refuse collection) and Lincolnshire County Council (whose responsibilities include highways, education and social services). These authorities are also subject to the FOI Act and are required to maintain their own Publication Schemes.
For full details contact:
South Kesteven District Council
St Peter’s Hill
Grantham
Lincolnshire
NG31 6PZ Tel: 01476 406080 – Fax: 01476 406000 – Website: http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Lincolnshire County Council
County Offices
Newland
Lincoln
LN1 1YL Tel: 01522 552222 - Fax: 01522 552597 - Website: http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk
FURTHER INFORMATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The administration of the FOI Act is the responsibility of the Information Commissioner.
Information Commissioner
FOI Team
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF Tel: 01625 545700 - Fax: 01625 524510 - Website: http://www.ico.gov.uk
The central government department responsible for the FOI Act (and any secondary legislation arising from the Act) is the Ministry of Justice.
For more details contact
Ministry of Justice
Selborne House 54 Victoria Street London SW1E 6QW Tel: 0207 210 8500 - Website: http://www.justice.gov.uk
The Council has a duty to regularly review this Publication Scheme and its operation. Comments from members of the community would be welcome, and should be sent in writing to the Clerk.
This document has been created with the help of guidance and other material from the Information Commissioner and the National Association of Local Councils, some of which is partially reproduced in the text. The assistance and copyright of both these bodies is acknowledged.