This guidance gives examples of the kinds of information that we would expect National Park Authorities, the Broads Authority and Conservation Boards to provide in order to meet their commitments under the model publication scheme. We would expect these bodies to make the information in this definition document available unless:
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they do not hold the information;
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the information is exempt under one of the FOI exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) exceptions, or its release is prohibited under another statute;
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the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or,
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it would be impractical or resource-intensive to prepare the material for routine release.
The guidance is not meant to give a definitive list. The legal commitment is to the model publication scheme, and authorities should look to provide as much information as possible on a routine basis.
Who we are and what we do
Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only.
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Roles and responsibilities
Authorities should be providing outline and detailed information about their roles and responsibilities, and the roles and responsibilities of people working in them at senior level.
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Composition of the Authority or Board and any sub-committees
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Staffing structure
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Map of the area
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Outline of responsibilities
Authorities should be providing both outline and detailed information about their roles and responsibilities and the roles and responsibilities of those working in them at senior level.
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Opportunities for volunteers
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Offices and contact details
The location and opening times of any offices open to the public. Where possible, named contacts are preferable.
What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
We would expect as a minimum that financial information for the current and previous two financial years should be available.
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Revenue and capital plans
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Annual out-turn
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Audited accounts
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Pay and grading structures
This may be provided as part of the organisational structure and should indicate, for most posts, levels of pay rather than individual salaries.
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Staff and authority members’ allowances and expenses
Details of the allowances and expenses that can be incurred or claimed.It should include the total of the allowances and expenses incurred by or paid to individual senior staff and board members by reference to categories. These categories should be produced in line with the authority’s policies, practices and procedures and will be under headings like travel, subsistence and accommodation.
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Income from grant and other sources
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Procurement procedures
Details of procedures used for the acquisition of goods and services. Contracts currently available for public tender.
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Lists of contracts awarded and their value
We would expect normally that it should be necessary only to publish details of contracts that are of sufficient size to have gone through a formal tendering process.
What our priorities are and how we are doing
Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
We would expect information in this class to be available at least for the current and previous three years.
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Corporate plan
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Local plan
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Site management plans
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Action plans
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Performance reports
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Annual report or review
How we make decisions
Decision making processes and records of decisions.
We would expect information in this class to be available at least for the current and previous two years.
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Agendas and minutes of Authority meetings and its sub-committee meetings
We would expect minutes and the minutes of the authority and any sub committees excluding material that is properly considered to be private, to be readily available to the public.
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Planning studies
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Publicly available reports
Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only.
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Policies and procedures for the conduct of the business of the authority
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Policies and procedures for the provision of services
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Policies and procedures for the recruitment and employment of staff
Codes of practice, memoranda of understanding and similar information should be included. A number of policies, for example equality and diversity, and health and safety, will cover both the provision of services and the employment of staff. If vacancies are advertised as part of recruitment policies, details of current vacancies will be readily available. Policies and procedures for handling requests for information should be included.
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Conservation strategies
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Planning policy
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Customer service
Standards for providing services to the authority’s customers, including the complaint procedure. Complaints procedures will include those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme.
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Internal instructions, manuals and guidelines
Where access to internal instructions, manuals and guidelines for dealing with the business of the authority would assist public understanding of the way decisions are made these should be readily available. We would not expect information that might damage the operations of the department to be revealed.
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Records management and personal data policies
This will include information security policies, records retention, destruction and archive policies, and data protection (including data sharing) policies.
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Charging regimes and policies
Details of any statutory charging regimes should be provided. Charging policies should include charges made for information routinely published and clearly state what costs are to be recovered together with the basis on which they are made and how they are calculated.
Lists and registers
We expect this to be information contained only in currently maintained lists and registers.
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Public registers and registers held as public records.
Where an authority is obliged to maintain a register and to make the information in it available for inspection by the public, it is accepted that in most circumstances that the existing provisions covering access will suffice. We would expect however that authorities do publicise which public registers they hold and how the information in them is to be made public. Where registers contain personal information, authorities must ensure that this is protected by the data protection principles.
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Asset registers and information asset register
We would not expect authorities to publish all details from all asset registers. We would expect some information from capital asset registers to be available. If an authority has prepared an information asset register for the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005, it should publish the contents.
Where an authority produces an information disclosure log indicating the information that has been provided in response to requests it should be readily available. Disclosure logs are themselves recommended as good practice.
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Register of gifts and hospitality provided to members of the authority and senior personnel
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Any register of interests kept in the authority
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Other lists required by law
The services we offer
Information about the services we offer including leaflets, guidance and newsletters.
Generally this is an extension of part of the first class of information. While the first class provides information on the roles and responsibilities of the authority, this class includes details of the services which are currently provided by the authority. The starting point would normally be a list or lists of the services that fall within the responsibility of the authority, linked to details of these services.
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Byelaws
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Services for which the department is entitled to recover a fee or toll together with those fees or tolls
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Social, geographical and historical details
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Educational services
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Access and accessibility
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Camp sites, car parks and public toilets
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Forestry and tree preservation
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Cultural heritage
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Visitor, walks and boating information
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Advice and guidance
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Leaflets, newsletters and booklets
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Media releases
Version 2
23 October 2008
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