IVYBRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Publication Scheme

To meet the requirements of the Act which came into force on 28 February 2003 and was reviewed in 2009, Ivybridge Town Council has examined the range of documents it holds and resolved to make many of these available to the public.

The Town Council is responsible for operating open spaces at Victoria Park, Filham Park and MacAndrews Field as well as the Woodlands Cemetery and it administers the work from the Town Hall in Leonards Road. It also responds to an array of consultation documents and strives to work with the community to deliver and/or campaign for the services needed in the town. A newsletter outlining the work of the Council is issued on a quarterly basis.

The Town Clerk, Mrs Lesley Hughes will take responsibility for the scheme and will manage it on a day to day basis and the full contact details are provided in Appendix 1.

Classes of information for publication are attached at Appendix II.

These are based on the Model Scheme for Local Councils and reflect the responsibilities of Ivybridge Town Council.

Availability of Information

The details of the scheme will be available:

in person from the Town Hall, Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm; by post from the same address. The full address is in Appendix 1.

the Notice Board outside the Town Hall

Ivybridge Library in The Watermark

the website: www.ivybridge.gov.uk

arrangements will be made with the local RNIB office to have text translated into Braille if required.

Charges for Information

The Council will not charge for the inspection of documents or for viewing the information. However, if copies are required the first 10 pages of photocopied information will be made available free of charge but thereafter will be charged as follows:

10 or under FREE

10-20 £1.00, and 10p per copy thereafter

Rights and Complaints

Any person has the right to receive a copy of the information described in the Publication Scheme and, where that information is available in printed format the Council will endeavour to provide copies within 10 working days of receiving the request.

If you are unhappy with the way in which Ivybridge Town Council have dealt with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 you should raise the matter in accordance with our usual Complaints Procedure.

APPENDIX 1

PUBLICATION SCHEME

Freedom of Information Act

Ivybridge Town Council has RESOLVED to adopt the Model Scheme for Local Councils as outlined at Appendix II.

DECLARATION

Ivybridge Town Council

The Town Hall

Erme Court

Leonards Road

Ivybridge

Devon

PL21 0SZ

Has adopted the Model Scheme titled ‘Ivybridge Town Council – Access to Information Policy’ produced in accordance with Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and will publish information in accordance with that scheme.

The contact details for the person who will be responsible for maintaining the publication scheme and who should be contacted if any issues arise concerning the organisation’s compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is:

Mrs Lesley Hughes

Town Clerk

Ivybridge Town Council

The Town Hall

Erme Court

Leonards Road

Ivybridge

Devon

PL21 0SZ

Telephone: (01752) 893815

Fax: (01752) 896488

E:mail: townclerk@ivybridge.gov.uk

Appendix II

Information available from Ivybridge Town Council under the model publication scheme

Information to be published	How the information can be obtained	Cost
Class1 - Who we are and what we do (Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts) This will be current information only N.B. Councils should already be publishing as much information as possible about how they can be contacted.	Hard copy and via website www.ivybridge.gov.uk	Free
Who’s who on the Council and its Committees
Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members (named contacts where possible with telephone number and email address (if used))	Names and photographs of Councillors on Notice Board
Location of main Council office and accessibility details
Staffing structure

Class 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 financial year as a minimum	Hard copy	First 10 pages free
Annual return form and report by auditor		Free
Finalised budget		Free
Precept		Free
Borrowing Approval letter		Free
Financial Standing Orders and Regulations		£2.00
Grants given and received		Free
List of current contracts awarded and value of contract
Members’ allowances and expenses

Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing (Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews)	Hard copy or website
Parish Plan	Hard copy and website	£7.00
Annual Report to Parish or Community Meeting (current and previous year as a minimum)	Hard copy and website	Free
Quality status	Hard copy	Free
Local charters drawn up in accordance with DCLG guidelines	N/A

Class 4 – How we make decisions (Decision making processes and records of decisions) Current and previous council year as a minimum	Hard copy or website
Timetable of meetings (Council, any committee/sub-committee meetings and parish meetings)	Hard copy, Notice Board and website	Free
Agendas of meetings (as above)	Hard copy and Notice Board	Free
Minutes of meetings (as above) – nb this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting.	Hard copy and Notice Board	Free
Reports presented to council meetings - nb this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting.	Hard copy and Email	First 10 pages Free
Responses to consultation papers	Hard copy and Email	First 10 pages Free
Responses to planning applications	Hard copy	First 10 pages Free
Bye-laws	Hard copy	First 10 pages Free

Class 5 – Our policies and procedures (Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities) Current information only	Hard copy	First 10 pages Free
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)
Information security policy
Records management policies (records retention, destruction and archive)
Data protection policies
Schedule of charges (for the publication of information)

Class 6 – Lists and Registers Currently maintained lists and registers only	Hard copy or website; some information may only be available by inspection)
Any publicly available register or list (if any are held this should be publicised; in most circumstances existing access provisions will suffice)
Assets Register
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)
Register of members’ interests	Held by Monitoring Officer at South Hams District Council or by inspection at the Town Hall
Register of gifts and hospitality	Held by Monitoring Officer at South Hams District Council or by inspection at the Town Hall

Class 7 – The services we offer (Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced for the public and businesses) Current information only	Hard copy or website (some information may only be available by inspection)
Allotments
Burial grounds and closed churchyards – Woodlands Cemetery
The Watermark
Parks, playing fields and recreational facilities
Seating, litter bins, clocks, memorials and lighting
Bus shelters
Agency agreements
A summary of services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees (e.g. burial fees)

Contact details: Mrs Lesley Hughes

Town Clerk

Ivybridge Town Council

Erme Court

Leonards Road

Ivybridge

Devon

PL21 0SZ

Telephone: (01752) 893815

Fax: (01752) 896488

Email: townclerk@ivybridge.gov.uk

SCHEDULE OF CHARGES

This describes how the charges have been arrived at and should be published as part of the guide.

TYPE OF CHARGE	DESCRIPTION	BASIS OF CHARGE
Disbursement cost	Photocopying @ 10p per sheet (black & white)	Same charge as applied since 2000
	Photocopying @ 50p per sheet (colour)	Higher cost of toner for colour

	Postage	Actual cost of Royal Mail standard 2nd class

*the actual cost incurred by the public authority