FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

PUBLICATION SCHEME

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is part of a wider group of policies designed to modernise government and ensure decision making is more open and accountable. One of the obligations placed upon local councils is to publish and maintain a Publication Scheme.

The scheme amounts to a list of classes of information which the Council is prepared to make available to the public and has been developed to encourage organisations to develop a greater culture of openness.

At its meeting of 18 November 2002, Bishop's Stortford Town Council resolved that the following information be available to the public upon application to the Town Clerk:

COUNCIL INTERNAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Minutes of Council, Committee and sub committee meetings – limited to the last two years

Procedural Standing Orders

Council's Annual Report to the Parish Meeting

Agendas and supporting papers for Council, Committees and sub committees meetings, limited in each case to the forthcoming/immediate meeting.

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 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 and Conditions of employment

Health and Policy

Exclusions: Personal records i.e appraisals, employment 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

The following are all limited to the last financial year:
Annual Return form
Annual Statutory report by auditor (internal and external)
Receipts and Payments, bank statements etc
Precept request
VAT records
Financial Standing Orders and Regulations
Assets Register
Risk Assessments
Fees and Charges
Grant Applications

TOURIST INFORMATION

Information regarding the running of the Tourist Information Centre

ALLOTMENTS

All allotment records

BURIALS

All burial records and regulations regarding the running of the Cemetery.

Where possible the information will be available in hard copy form, although in some circumstances it will be necessary for members to the public to view the information at the offices of the Town Council, The Old Monastery, Windhill. It will be possible for certain information to be sent via email.

For access to the above information, please contact The Town Clerk, Telephone number 01279 652274, or email tc@bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk