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	Guide to information
	The Council’s A-Z web page provides a guide to the information available and there is also a search facility to help you to find other information that may not be included in the A-Z. Some links are provided in this guide to help you but these are not necessarily comprehensive and therefore you should rely on the A-Z page or search facility. The guidance below is intended to help you by giving some examples of the type of information that the Council routinely makes available. Where a document is indicated within this guidance it will be the current version. Who we are and what we do Council’s Constitution The Council’s governing document Council democratic structure Information about the functioning and process of meetings (Council Meetings, Cabinet and other committees). Information about decision-making and scrutiny Council Organisation Diagram (Pdf 80kb) Information about the various departments of the Council Contact details for Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Assistant Chief Executives. Location and opening times of Council properties Information about locations, opening time and contact details of the Council’s centres/buildings, which are there to enable public access Council services. Currently elected Councillors’ information and contact details (Pdf 312kb) Currently elected councillors including party, membership of committees, addresses, telephone number and e-mail contacts. Contact details for all customer-facing departments Telephone numbers for customer contacts Most recent election results Election results indicating the political composition of the Council Relationships with other authorities Information, for example, about the local strategic partnership. What we spend and how we spend it Financial statements, budgets and variance reports The Council’s Statement of Accounts and budgetary reports Capital Programme The Capital Programme and Asset Management Plan. Spending reviews The Council’s Statement of Accounts and Committee Reports. Financial audit reports Audit Committee Reports The member’s allowances scheme and allowances paid under it to councillors each year For example basic and special allowances and Council's Statement of Accounts. Staff allowances and expenses Staff car allowance rates and subsistence rates as published by South East Employers. Pay and grading structure Salary bands for all grades, including senior and chief officer grades. Details of contracts currently being tendered Advertised individually in accordance with the Council's Standing Orders for Contracts List of contracts awarded and their value Contracts awarded under the Public Contract Regulations 2006 as published in The Official Journal of the European Journal.   The Contracts Register District Auditor’s reports Audit Committee Reports Financial Statements for projects and events The Council’s Statement of Accounts and Performance Management and Review Committee and Scrutiny Committee Reports Internal financial regulations Financial regulations under the Council’s standing orders, as contained in the Council’s constitution. Funding and partnership arrangements Detailed in Cabinet reports What our priorities are and how are we doing Annual Reports The Corporate Plan Strategies and business plans for services provided by the Council Strategies, business and service plan for departments and services including the Community Plan, Procurement Strategy and Air Quality Strategy. Best Value performance plans For example the Corporate Plan Internal and external organisation performance reviews Performance information including for example Comprehensive Performance Assessments, The Corporate Plan and various strategies. Strategies developed in partnership with other authorities Joint Municipal Waste Strategy Economic development action plan Asset Management plan Forward plan The Council’s Forward Plan which details key decisions that the Council is going to take over a 25 month period Capital strategy Capital Programme and Asset Management Plan Best value performance indicators Information about the Corporate Plan and progress on performance indicators District auditor’s report on the best value performance plan and performance indicators District Audit Reports Comprehensive performance assessment Information about the Comprehensive Performance Assessment Inspection reports Publically available inspection reports for example housing services and planning Local Area Agreements Partnership agreements made by the Council by working with various groups and partnerships in the public, private, voluntary, community and faith sectors. Statistical information produced in accordance with the Council’s and departmental requirements For example key statistics by ward and town Impact Assessments Equality Impact Assessments; copies can be obtained by writing to Assistant Chief Executive, Liz Borthwick Service standards Customer Care Charters Public service agreements Local public service agreements administered by Surrey County Council How we make decisions Timetable of Council meetings Committee dates for current year Agendas, officers’ reports, background papers and minutes of council committee, sub-committee and standing forum meetings Public information on the Council’s decision recording system Major policy proposals and decisions Information on the Council’s Forward Plan and via public information on the Council’s decision recording system Facts and analyses of facts considered when framing major policies Information on the Council’s Forward Plan and via public information on the Council’s decisionrecording system Public consultations Consultation papers or information, any summary of responses and the outcome of the consultation exercise. Our policies and procedures Policies and procedures for conducting council business The Council’s constitution Policies and procedures for delivering our services For example Corporate Customer Charter and Housing Advice - our service commitment Policies and procedures about the recruitment and employment of staff For example employment information, current vacancies and equalities scheme Customer service For example corporate customer charter and complaints policy Records management and personal data policies For example Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy Charging regimes and policies For example licensing fees and charges, building control charges and local land charges. Lists and registers Available for inspection only Public registers and registers held as public records For example Register of Electors, Register of Premises Licences and Club Premises Licences and  Register of Hackney Carriage Drivers Asset Registers and information asset register Asset Management Plan The Council does not have an information asset register Register of councillors’ financial and other interests Register of Members’ interests in accordance with Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2000. Register of gifts and hospitality For council staff at all levels Highways, licensing, planning, commons, footpaths etc Register of Premises Licences and Club Premises Licences, Register of Hackney Carriage Drivers and register of Planning Applications. For planning applications see the public access site Register of electors The register of electors and information about the register and where it can be inspected Services provided by the Council Details of all of the Council’s services can be found in the leaflet A-Z guide to local services in Spelthorne Regulatory and licensing responsibilities For example hackney carriage and private hire licensing, premise and club premise licensing and personal licensing Services for local businesses For example business services and advice in respect of financial support, property advice, business opportunities, recruitment of staff. Services for other organisations For example youth and voluntary organisations Services for members of the public Details of all of the Council’s services can be found in the Council’s A-Z guide to local services in Spelthorne Services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees For example licensing fees and charges, building control charges and local land charges fees. Information to visitors to the area, leisure information, events, museums, libraries and archive collections Information about local area Leaflets, booklets and newsletters Various leaflets and council publications available on-line, in Council Office and libraries etc. Advice and guidance For example advice on benefits and healthy living Media releases Press statement and releases Election Information For example election results, forthcoming elections and voting procedures

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