BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to all bodies and office holders identified as public authorities. As a public authority East Peckham Parish Council is subject to the Act and is required by Section 19 to adopt and maintain a publication scheme, which has been approved by the Information Commissioner.

The purpose of the scheme is to be a means by which the Parish Council will make a significant amount of information available routinely without waiting for someone to specifically request it, The attached publication scheme relates to the information, which will be made available by the Parish Council.  By proactively making available more information, the Parish Council hopes to develop a greater culture of openness and transparency,

In accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the scheme specifies the classes of information, which the Parish Council publishes or intends to publish.  The scheme is comprised firstly by a number of core classes of information, which are mandatory; it also includes a number of optional documents within those core classes as well as a group of totally new optional classes.  Any optional documents within a core class of information are clearly specified therein.

In some cases a class of information sets out a range of information, which is excluded from publication.  Where that is the case, the reasons behind the decision to exclude are clearly stated.   Excluded throughout the model scheme is general correspondence sent or received by the Parish Council and all information relating to private individuals by virtue of it being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998.

In certain classes a limitation on the age of some documents has also been stipulated.  For the avoidance of doubt this does not mean information beyond that date cannot be obtained, it simply indicates that it is not available as a matter of course within the publication scheme.

If original documentation is more readily available from another source, details of that organisation are again specified in the scheme.

The information contained in each class will be available in a variety of formats; initially this will be in hard copy on request from the Clerk of East Peckham Parish Council or by inspection at the Council Office.  Reasonable charges may be raised for the provision of copies of the documents/information listed in each of the classes.