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Publication Scheme

Welwyn Parish Council (Council) will make available the information detailed in the following table in order to meet its commitments under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) using the model publication scheme produced by Information Commissioner’s Office. Publication Scheme
Council is committed to providing as much information as possible on a routine basis and information categories will be regularly reviewed.

Council will make the information available unless:

  •  it does not hold the information
  • the information is exempt under one of the FOIA exemptions or EIR 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 Council or on its behalf. Council 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  • the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or,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.
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”.

Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Class 5
Class 6
Class 7
Fees & Charges
Class 1

Class 1 – who we are and what we do

Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts – who’s who on the Council and its committees

Current information only

Parish Office (9am to 3pm Monday to Friday) and website  
Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members (named contacts where possible with telephone number and email address)

Postal and email address

as above  
Location of main Council office and accessibility details as above  
Staffing structure                                                          

Details of any representation on local public bodies

Office Only  

Class 2

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 year as a minimum.

Information to be published

How the information can be obtained

 
Annual return form and report by auditor

Statement of accounts

office and website  
Finalised budget office  
Precept Office  
Borrowing Approval letter Office  
Standing Orders and Financial Regulations Website and Office  
Grants given and received Office  
List of current contracts awarded and value of contract Office  
Members’ allowances and expenses

All items of expenditure above £500

List of current contracts awarded and value of contract 

Office

Office & Website ( Minutes)

Class 3

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

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

Information to be published

How the information can be obtained

 
Parish/Action/Business Plan Website and office  
Annual Report to Parish Council Website and office  
Quality status Website   
Local charters drawn up in accordance with DCLG guidelines Currently Welwyn Parish Council doesn’t hold any local charters.

Class 4

Class 4 – How we make decisions

Decision making processes and records of decisions

Information to be published

How the information can be obtained

 
Timetable of meetings
(Council, any committee/sub-committee meetings and parish meetings)
Website,  Office  
Agendas of meetings (as above) as above  
Minutes of meetings (as above) – note, this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. as above  
Reports presented to council meetings – note this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. as above  
Responses to consultation papers as above  
Responses to planning applications as above  
Bye-laws Currently Welwyn Parish Council doesn’t enforce any bye-laws.

Class 5

Class 5 – Our policies and procedures

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

Information to be published

How the information can be obtained

 
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 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)
  • records management process
  • schedule of charges
  • CCTV policy
  • others as agreed including requests for information
  • Records Management, personal data and access to information policies
  • Document Retention Policy 
  • Data protection Policy 
Website and office

Website and Office

Class 6

Class 6 – Lists and Registers

Information Council has to hold in publicly available register

Information to be published

How the information can be obtained

Some information may only be available by inspection

 
     
Assets Register  Office  
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) Website and Office  
Register of members’ interests Website and office  
Register of gifts and hospitality Office

Class 7

Class 7 – The services we offer

Current information only. (Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced for the public and businesses)

Information to be published

How the information can be obtained

Some information may only be available by inspection at the office.

 
Allotments Website and Office  
Burial grounds and closed churchyards Website and Office  
Community centres Website: and Office  
Parks, playing fields and recreational facilities Website and Office  
Seating, litter bins, clocks, memorials and lighting, street furniture. Website and Office  
Bus shelters Currently Welwyn Parish Council is not responsible for any.  
Markets Currently Welwyn Parish Council is not responsible for any.  
Public conveniences Currently Welwyn Parish Council is not responsible for any.  
Agency agreements Currently Welwyn Parish Council has none in place.  
A summary of services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees (e.g. burial fees) Website and Office  

Information in relation to Welwyn Parish Council is available from:
• Website www.welwyn-pc.gov.uk
• Email office@welwynpc.org.uk
• Hard copy via Caroline Williams, Clerk to Welwyn Parish Council, Parish Offices, Lockleys Drive, Welwyn, Hertfordshire AL6 9NT.

Fees & Charges

Schedule of Charges:

TYPE OF CHARGE                       DESCRIPTION                                                                           BASIS OF CHARGE
Disbursement cost                      Photocopying @ 10p per sheet (black & white)               Actual cost
Disbursement cost                      Photocopying @ 20p per sheet (colour)                             Actual cost
Postage                                           Actual cost of Royal Mail standard 2nd class
Statutory Fee                                In accordance with the relevant legislation specified