Cheddington Parish Council Freedom of Information
Cheddington Parish Council adopted the Model Publication Scheme for Local Councils on 5th November 2008.
The Freedom of Information is all about the right of access
The Freedom of Information Act gives everyone a general legal right to be provided, on request, with any information held by all public authorities subject to stated exemptions. These authorities include Central Government and Local authorities including parishes and Charter Trustees. Anyone has a right to ask public authorities for any information they hold and there is no requirement to explain whey the information is being requested.
What information is covered by the Act
Anything that public authorities create, process, or may hold. Minutes of meetings, letters, reports, faxes, maps and photographs which relate to the business conducted by the authority are all classed as ‘information’ under the Freedom of Information Act. The Act applies retrospectively to existing information, no matter how old, as well as that produced from 1 January 2009.
Exclusions
Excluded throughout the Model Scheme is general correspondence sent or received by the Council relating to private individuals by virtue of it being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998.
All commercially sensitive information e.g. quotations and tenders, loan documentation and insurance policies. With regard to quotations and tenders, this information is treated as confidential to ensure that the whole tender process is fair, i.e. if tender information is released to a third party prior to the end of the tender period, those who initially submitted tenders could be undercut and/or unfairly disadvantaged.
Cheddington Parish Council fully supports these aims and is already making some information (including the minutes of the Council meetings) readily available through this website. The Council encourages all residents to come to the Parish Council meetings which are usually held on the first Wednesday of each month in the Village Hall Sideroom (the agenda is always published on the notice board).
Please follow the link to the Model Publication Scheme Guide of information available under the act and the schedule of charges that apply. In addition, the Parish Council will continue to try to assist with all enquiries for information, subject to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act.