IVYBRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Publication Scheme
To meet the requirements of the Act which came into force on 28th February 2003 Ivybridge Town Council has examined the range of documents it holds and resolved to make many of these available to the public.
The Town Council is responsible for operating open spaces at Victoria Park, Filham Park and MacAndrews Fields as well as the Woodlands Cemetery and it administers the work from the Town Hall in Leonards Road. It also responds to an array of consultation documents and strives to work with the community to deliver and / or campaign for the services needed in the town. A newsletter outlining the work of the Council is issued on a quarterly basis.
The Town Clerk, Mrs Lesley Hughes will take responsibility for the scheme and will manage it on a day to day basis and the full contact details are provided in Appendix I.
Classes of Information for publication are attached at Appendix II.
These are based on the Model Scheme for Local Councils and reflect the responsibilities of Ivybridge Town Council.
Availability of Information
The details of the scheme will be available:
- in person from the Town Hall, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by post from the same address. The full address is in Appendix I.
- the Notice Board outside the Town Hall
- Ivybridge Library in Keaton Road
- the website: www.ivybridge.gov.uk
- arrangements will be made with the local RNIB office to have text translated into braile if required
Charges for Information
The Council will not charge for the inspection of documents or for viewing the information. However, if copies are required the first 10 pages of photocopied information will be made available free of charge but thereafter will be charged at £1 for each set of up to 10 copies, eg
10 or under FREE
20 - £1
30 - £2
Rights and Complaints
From the 1st March 2003 any person will have the right to receive a copy of the information described in the Publication Scheme and, where that information is available in printed format the Council will endeavour to provide copies within 10 working days of receiving the request
If you are unhappy with the way in which Ivybridge Town Council have dealt with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 you should raise the matter in accordance with our usual Complaints Procedure.
APPENDIX I
PUBLICATION SCHEME
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
Ivybridge Town Council has RESOLVED to adopt the Model Scheme for Local Councils (core classes plus optional classes within core classes and optional classes) as outlined at Appendix II.
DECLARATION
Ivybridge Town Council
The Town Hall
Erme Court
Leonards Road
Ivybridge
Devon
PL21 0SZ
Has adopted the Model Scheme titled "Ivybridge Town Council – Access to Information Policy" produced in accordance with Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and will publish information in accordance with that scheme.
The contact details for the person who will be responsible for maintaining the publication scheme and who should be contacted if any issues arise concerning the organisation’s compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is:
Mrs Lesley Hughes
Town Clerk
Ivybridge Town Council
The Town Hall
Erme Court
Leonards Road
Ivybridge
Devon
PL21 0SZ
Telephone: 01752 893815
Fax: 01752 896488
E-mail
townclerk@ivybridge.gov.uk
APPENDIX II
CLASSES OF INFORMATION
- 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
Agendas and supporting papers for Council, Committee and sub-Committee meetings – limited in each case to the forthcoming / immediate meeting.
Terms of Reference for Committees
- CODE OF CONDUCT
Members Declaration of Acceptance of Office
Members Register of Interests
Register of Members Interests Book
- 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.
- 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.
- PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Responses to planning applications.
- AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS
Annual return from – 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.
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.
- DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY
Policy Statements issued by Council.
Responses made by Council to consultation papers.
Analysis of responses received to public consultations by the Council.
Complaints handling procedure.
- BYELAWS
Made for any of the following purposes:-
The regulation of a pleasure ground or public space.
The regulation of an open space or burial ground.
- COUNCIL CIRCULARS / NEWSLETTERS
Town, Parish, Community guide.
- ALLOTMENTS
Plans.
Standard tenancy Agreements.
Exclusions – individual tenancy agreements and rent payment records under both privacy and data protection laws.
Signature: …MRS LESLEY HUGHES…………
Position: … TOWN CLERK…………………….
Date: ………18/12/02……………………………