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Freedomof Information Act 2000
Spelthorne Council
Publication Scheme
Introduction
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, all public authorities are required to adopt and maintain a “Publication Scheme”. An explanation of what is a publication scheme is provided below.
This is the Publication Scheme for Spelthorne Council of Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines, TW18 IXB.
The Strategic Director (Support) has overall responsibility for the Scheme and day to day management is the responsibility of the Council's Freedom of Information Officer who can be contacted by telephone on (01784) 446 237, by fax on (01784) 463 356 and by email on foi@spelthorne.gov.uk
About your Council
Spelthorne Borough Council is a District Council with Borough status within the County of Surrey and spans an area of 5,125 hectares and has a population of 90,400.
The main functions which the Council carry out for the community of Spelthorne are the following:
What is a Publication Scheme?
As part of the implementation process and to enable local authorities and other public bodies to prepare for January 2005, every public authority has been asked to prepare, adopt and maintain a “Publication Scheme” by February 2003.
A Publication Scheme provides details of the types of information the particular authority holds (known within the scheme as “classes” of information), the manner in which the information is held, (i.e. whether it is available in hard copy or electronic format), how the information will be published, and whether the public will be charged for the information.
The purpose of a publication scheme is to ensure that as much information as is possible is made available to the public without the need for you to make a specific request for it.
Our Publication Scheme
This Publication Scheme sets out the information which this Council will routinely publish. It is not a list of all the individual publications or specific documents available, as individual documents will change over time, but is intended to represent the types of information we are committed to publish now or in the future. It is divided into different classes of information. There are currently 12 separate classes and further classes will be added over time.
The schedule not only sets out the classes of information we will publish but how we will make the information available and whether a charge will be made for photocopying or administration of your request.
How can you get information through the scheme?
A complete list of the classes of information together with, in some cases, a list of the actual publications available in the class, is contained in the Schedule attached to this Scheme. The classes of information were decided after looking at the main types of services we provide for you. The questions frequently asked of the Council and the areas frequently visited by users of our website.
The information available within each class is limited to the information described within the class or the table of information linked to it. In some cases, we are prevented either by the Act or by other legislation from making available to you all documents referred to within the class definition. We have therefore indicated this either generally under the specific headings or within the definition of each class.
Information which contains details of a personal nature or relevant to individuals is not part of the Scheme.
The actual publications listed in the schedule are currently available either via the Council’s website www.spelthorne.gov.uk or as a paper copy at:
Council Offices
Knowle Green
Staines TW18 1XB
Telephone and Contact : John Foggo or Irene Pardy on 01784 451499
Fax: 01784 463356
Email: customer.services@spelthorne.gov.uk
Many of the publications and individual documents are available to download from the list set out in this publication on our website and therefore will be provided through this medium free of charge. Alternatively, you can request a hard copy of the website version from our offices and a small charge may be made for handling the request.
Other documents, leaflets or publications which are not available on our website are available on request from the Council Offices main reception areas. The schedule indicates whether a charge will be made and, if so, its level. In some instances, the charges are made by reference to the Council’s charges policy. (hyperlink here)
Information can be provided in different formats, to suit individual needs upon request, for example, if English is not your first language we can supply the documentation in over 100 different languages. If you are partially sight and would benefit from the information being provided in large print, braille or in audiotape format, this can be arranged. If you should require this service please state this at the time you request the information.
The scheme also lists the various officers who are responsible for either the creation of each publication or the service to which the publication relates.
The scheme only includes information which has been created by Spelthorne Borough Council and relates to the current or published versions available. Where information included in the table states a future publication date, this is either because the legal requirement to provide to commences on that date or the information is part of a Council initiative to improve access to information via our website. Over time we aim is to make more information available. We intend to review our publication scheme in February of each year,
The Council liaises with many other public and voluntary organisations at local, national and regional level. Whilst this scheme only includes information which originates from Spelthorne Borough Council, your question may relate to an area of information outside our remit. If this is the case the Council may be able to provide help on where to ask Use of the “search” facility on our own website may also help you find the information you want.
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