FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Revised Scheme - adopted by Burbage Parish Council at a meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held Monday 10th November 2008

The Freedom on Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities. Any person who makes a request to a public authority for information must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information.

Under the Act each public authority is required to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme. This scheme will provide the public with a structured listing of any information released, with authorities undertaking a commitment to make it available to all. The Scheme must set out how it intends to publish the different classes of information it makes available and whether it intends to charge for providing the information.

Our scheme for publishing information (either in print or on the web) commits us:

* To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information, including environmental information, which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
* To specify the information which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
* To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information in line with the statements contained within this scheme.
* To produce and publish the methods by which the specific information is made routinely available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public.
* To review and update on a regular basis the information the authority makes available under this scheme.
* To produce a schedule of any fees charged for access to information which is made proactively available.
* To make this publication scheme available to the public.

The classes of information will not generally include:

* Information the disclosure of which is prevented by law, or exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or is otherwise properly considered to be protected from disclosure.
* Information in draft form.
* Information that is no longer readily available as it is contained in files that have been placed in archive storage, or is difficult to access for similar reasons.

Charges for Information
Charges which may be made for Information published under this scheme.

The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by us for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum.

Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge.

Charges may be made for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament. Charges may be made for actual disbursements incurred such as:

* photocopying
* postage and packaging
* the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information

Charges may also be made for information provided under this scheme where they are legally authorised, they are in all the circumstances, including the general principles of the right of access to information held by public authorities, justified and are in accordance with a published schedule or schedules of fees which is readily available to the public.

If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.

Written Requests
Information held by us that is not published under this scheme can be requested in writing, when its provision will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME
The Parish Council's Publication Scheme can be downloaded below. It gives details of how the information the Council's documentation can be obtained and sets out any costs associated with the provision of documents, if appropriate.