Publication Scheme under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The purpose of this publication scheme is to be a means by which the council can make a significant amount of information available routinely. The scheme will ensure that the council publishes more information proactively, and help it to develop a greater culture of openness and transparency.

The council’s key responsibilities are to represent the electorate of its area, to take action within the legal framework and to provide leadership and focus for the community.

Core Classes of Information

1. Council Internal Practice and Procedure

Information	Format	Charge
Minutes of council – limited to the last 2 years	Hard copy	£5
Procedural standing orders	Hard copy	£5
Council’s annual report to Parish Meeting	Hard copy	£5

2. Code of Conduct

Information	Format	Charge
Members Declaration of Acceptance of Office	Hard copy	£5
Members Register of Interests	Hard copy	£5
Register of Members Interests Book	Hard copy	£5

3. Periodic Electoral Review

Information	Format	Charge
Information relating to the last Periodic Electoral Review of the council area	Available from district council	District council rules apply
Information relating to the latest boundary review of the council area	Available from district council	District council rules apply

4. Employment Practice and Procedure

Information	Format	Charge
Terms and conditions of employment	Hard copy	£5
Job descriptions	Hard copy	£5

Exclusions: “Personal records” eg. appraisals, employee specific salary details, disciplinary records and the like by virtue of being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998.

5. Planning Documents

Information	Format	Charge
Responses to planning applications	Hard copy	£5

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

Information	Format	Charge
Annual return form – limited to the last financial year	Hard copy	£5
Annual Statutory report by auditor (internal and external) – limited to the last financial year	Hard copy	£5
Receipt/Payment books, Receipt books of all kinds, Bank Statements from all accounts – limited to last financial year	Available for inspection at a public place by appointment, notes may be taken	£5
Precept request – limited to last financial year	Hard copy	£5
VAT records – limited to last financial year	Available for inspection at a public place by appointment, notes may be taken	£5
Financial Standing Orders and Regulations	Hard copy	£5
Assets register – including details of commons/village greens owned by the council including management schemes for commons as well as village halls, community centres and recreation grounds	Hard copy	£5
Risk Assessments	Hard copy	£5

Exclusions: All commercially sensitive information, eg. 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; ie. 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.

All applications for information under the Act must be made in writing to the clerk, Mr John Ingham, Chequers, Nasty, Great Munden, Ware, Herts SG11 1HP