This Publication Scheme is provided as required under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
About the Publication Scheme
The Publication Scheme commits an authority:
- 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 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 the scheme,
- to produce a schedule of fees charged for information which is made proactively available,
- to make this publication scheme available to the public.
Our Publication Scheme
We have based our Publication Scheme on the Information Commissioner's model scheme for local authorities. It lists all the categories of information that Guildford Borough Council is committed to making available to the public as part of its normal business activities, most of which you can find on this website, including:
Who we are and what we do
(Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance).
You will find relevant contact information on almost every information page on the website.
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
(Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations).
Our policies and procedures
(Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities).
Policies and procedures can also be found within individual service pages on this website. Use the main navigation, A-Z of services or website search to find them.
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).
Information about our services can be found across this website. Use the main navigation, A-Z of services, or website search to find the information you are looking for.
Exclusions
The categories of information will generally not include:
- information the disclosure of which is prevented by law, or exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or is otherwise properly 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.
How information is made available
Where practical we will make the information covered by this Publication Scheme available on this website.
Where impracticable to make information available on the website, or if you are unable to access it using the website, you can ask for it in another form using the contact information.
In exceptional circumstances, some information may be only be available by viewing in person. Where we have specified this, we will provide information on how to arrange a time to view it.
We will provide information in the language in which it is held, or in other such language that is legally required. We will translate information if legally required to.
We will adhere to obligations under disability and discrimination legislation, and any other legislation, to provide information under this scheme in other forms.
Charges
Material which is published and accessed on the website can be downloaded free of charge. Some information may only be available in hard copy, and some information will only be available for inspection. We may charge for disbursements such as:
- photocopying,
- postage and packaging,
- the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information.
We may also charge for information provided under this Publication Scheme if the charges are:
- legally authorised,
- justified in all the circumstances (including the general principles of the right of access to information held by public authorities),
- in accordance with a published schedule of fees which is readily available to the public.
We may charge for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament.
If a charge is to be made, we will confirm the payment due before we provide the information. We will usually request payment before disclosure.
Can't find what you are looking for?
If you can't find the information you are looking for under this Publication Scheme, either on this page or having searched this website, then you can make an online request for information under the Freedom of Information Act. Find out about the Freedom of Information Act.
