1

EAST BERGHOLT PARISH COUNCIL

Publication Scheme

East Bergholt Parish Council has adopted the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Model Publication Scheme as follows:

This Publication Scheme may be adopted without amendment by any public authority without further approval and will be valid until further notice. This
Publication Scheme ensures the Parish Council makes information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The information covered is
included in the classes of information mentioned below, where this information is held by the Council. Additional assistance is provided to the definition of
these classes in sector specific guidance manuals issued by the Information Commissioner.

The scheme commits the Parish Council to:
• To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information, including environmental information, which is held by the
Council and falls within the classifications below.
• To specify the information which is held by the Council 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 Council 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.
• To publish any dataset held by the Council that has been requested and any updated versions it holds, unless the Council is satisfied that it is not
appropriate to do so; to publish the dataset, where reasonably practicable, in an electronic form that is capable of re-use; and, if any information in the
dataset is a relevant copyright work and the Council is not the only owner, to make the information available for re-use under the terms of the Re-use
of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015, if they apply, and otherwise under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act section 19. The term
“dataset” is defined in section 11 (5) of the Freedom of Information Act. The term “relevant copyright work” is defined in section 19 (8) of that Act.

Classes of Information

Who we are and what we do – Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance.

2

What we spend and how we spend it – Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and
contracts.
What our priorities are and how we are doing – Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.
How we make decisions – Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations.
Our Policies and procedures – Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities.
Lists and Registers – Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority.
The Services we offer – Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered.

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 format.
• 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.

The method by which information published under this scheme will be made available – The Council will indicate clearly to the public what information
is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained.

Where it is within the capability of the Council, information will be provided on a website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on a website
or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, the Council will indicate how information can be obtained by other means and
provide it by those means.

In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only be viewing in person. Where this manner is specified, contact details will be provided.
An appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable timescale.

Information will be provided in the language in which it is held or in such other language that is legally required. Where the Council is legally required to
translate any information, it will do so.

Obligations under disability and discrimination legislation and any other legislation to provide information in other forms and formats will be adhered
to when providing information in accordance with this scheme.

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 the Council for routinely published material will be justified and
transparent and kept to a minimum.

3

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 packing.
• 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.

Charges may also be made for making datasets (or parts of datasets) that are relevant copyright works available for re-use. These charges will be in
accordance with the terms of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015, where they apply, or with regulations made under section 11B of the
Freedom of Information Act, or with other statutory powers of the public authority.

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 the Council 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.

THE ABOVE PUBLICATION SCHEME WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY EAST BERGHOLT PARISH COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING
TABLE.

Information to be published How the information can be
obtained
Cost

Class 1 – Who we are and what we do
(Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts)
This will be current information only.
(Website and hard copy) Nil
Who’s who on the Council and its Committees (Website and hard copy) Nil
Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members (named contacts where possible with
telephone number and email address – if used))
(Website and hard copy) Nil
Location of main Council office and accessibility details (Website and hard copy) Nil
Staffing structure (Email or hard copy upon request) Nil
Class 2 – What we spend and how we spend it (Website and hard copy) Nil – Website

4

(Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement,
contracts and financial audit)
Current and previous financial year as a minimum
Accounts 10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Annual return form and report by auditor (Website and hard copy) Nil – Website
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Finalised budget (Website and hard copy) Nil
Precept (Website and hard copy) Nil
Borrowing Approval letter N/A Nil
Standing Orders and Financial Regulations (Website and hard copy) Nil
Grants given and received (Email and hard copy upon
request)
Nil
List of current contracts awarded and value of contract (Email and hard copy upon
request)
Nil – email
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Members’ allowances and expenses (Email and hard copy upon
request – only travelling etc)
Nil – Website
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing
(Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews)
Current and previous year as a minimum
(Website and hard copy upon
request)
Nil
Parish Plan (current and previous year as a minimum) NEIGHBOURHO OD PLAN (Website and hard copy) Nil
Annual Report to Parish or Community Meeting (current and previous year as a minimum) (Website and hard copy) Nil
Quality status N/A Nil
Local charters drawn up in accordance with DCLG guidelines N/A Nil

Class 4 – How we make decisions
(Decision making processes and records of decisions)
Current and previous council year as a minimum
(Website and hard copy) Nil
Timetable of meetings (Council and any committee/sub-committee meetings and parish meetings) (Website and hard copy) Nil
Agendas of meetings (as above) (Website and hard copy) Nil

5

Minutes of meetings (as above) – n.b. this will exclude information that is properly regarded as
private to the meeting.
(Website and hard copy) Nil
Reports presented to council meetings – NB. this will exclude information that is properly regarded
as private to the meeting.
(Website and hard copy) Nil
Responses to consultation papers (Via email or hard copy upon
request)
Nil
Responses to planning applications (Via Minutes – Website and hard
copy. Also LPA Website)
Nil
Bye-laws (Via email or hard copy upon
request)
Nil – Website
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Class 5 – Our policies and procedures
(Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities)

Current information only

(Website and hard copy)
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

(Website and hard copy) Nil – Website
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Policies and procedures for the provision of services and about the employment of staff:

Internal instructions to staff and 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)

(Website and hard copy) Nil – Website
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post

6

Information security policy (Website and hard copy) Nil
Records management policies (records retention, destruction and archive) (Website and hard copy) Nil
Data protection policies GDPR 2018 (Website and hard copy) Nil
Schedule of charges (for the publication of information) (Website and hard copy) Nil

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)
(Website and hard copy) Nil – Website
10p per sheet
+ 2
nd
class
post
Assets register (Website and hard copy) Nil
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)
(Website link to District Council
Website. Hard copy upon
request)
Nil
Register of members’ interests (Website and hard copy) Nil
Register of gifts and hospitality (Website and hard copy) Nil
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 N/A Nil
Burial grounds and closed churchyards (Website and hard copy) Nil
Community centres and village halls (The Pavilion) (Website and hard copy) Some
details by inspection only
Nil
Parks, playing fields and recreational facilities (Website and hard copy) Nil
Seating, litter bins, clocks, memorials and lighting (Website and hard copy) Nil
Bus shelters (Website and hard copy) Nil
Markets N/A Nil
Public conveniences (Website and hard copy) Nil
Agency agreements N/A Nil
Services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees (e.g. burial (Website and hard copy) Some Nil

7

fees) details by inspection only
Additional Information
This will provide Councils with the opportunity to publish information that is not itemised in the lists
above
(Website and hard copy) Nil

Contact details:
Graham White
Parish Clerk
1 Ridgeway
Highwoods
Colchester
Essex CO4 9UW
Tel. 07801 368283 email; east.bergholtpc@btconnect.com

SCHEDULE OF CHAR GES
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)
Actual cost *
Photocopying @ 10p per
sheet (colour)
Actual cost
Postage Actual cost of Royal Mail
standard 2
nd
class
Statutory Fee In accordance with the
relevant legislation (quote the
actual statute)
Other