MILLOM without PARISH COUNCIL
Adopted by Full Council on New Revision date February 2021
Millom without Parish Council is committed to complying with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and related legislation.
This legislation enables anyone, anywhere in the world, to request any recorded information held by, or on behalf of, Millom without Parish Council. Information will be provided if it is held, unless one or more of the exemptions listed in the legislation applies. There are 23 exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act and information which is exempt does not have to be provided.
There are two ways to obtain the information:
Inspect Documents held by the Clerk
If you wish to view certain documents, you should contact the Clerk, either by telephone, email or in writing. Some documents require some time to locate, so it may be necessary to make an appointment.
Individual Written Request
If the information is not included in the publication scheme outlined below you may send a written request to
The Parish Clerk, Low Marshside, Underhill, nr Millom Cumbria LA18 5HA
Your request must include your name, address for correspondence, and a description of the information you require.
Within 20 working days of receipt of your written request the Council will:
confirm to you whether or not it holds the information
advise you if a fee will be charged
provide you with the information (after any relevant fee has been paid) unless an exemption applies (see ‘Exemptions’ paragraph below).
The Act only allows the Council to charge for answering Freedom of Information requests in the following circumstances:
Disbursement costs such as printing, photocopying and postage; and
When estimated staff costs involved in locating and or compiling the information exceed £450. Under these circumstances, the Council can refuse the request on the grounds of cost, or charge the applicant £20 per hour, plus disbursements for the estimated work.
For the majority of requests, or a series of requests from the same applicant within a 12 month period, it is expected that the charge for locating and compiling information will be less than £450 and therefore, except for disbursement costs, no reimbursement can be sought. However, where costs are estimated to exceed £450 (based on an hourly charge-out rate of £20), the Council can decide to:
refuse the request; or
comply with the request and charge for allowable costs as prescribed in the regulations; or
comply with the request free of charge.
If the estimated cost of a request is more than £450, and it is decided to release the information and make a charge for the information then:
A fee notice will be sent to the applicant requesting the appropriate fee.
The request will not be answered until the fee has been received.
If the actual cost of completing the request is more than the estimate then the Council will incur the additional cost.
Where the cost is less than the estimated cost then the difference will be refunded to the applicant.
For disbursements costs, it is proposed that the Council will charge 10p per sheet for photocopying and printing documents, and recover the actual cost of postage or any other transmission costs from the applicant.
If you need help in accessing information from the Council under the Freedom of Information Act, please contact the Parish Clerk (address as before).
If as an individual you want to know what data is held on you, why the data is being processed and whether it will be given to any third party you have the right to be given this information in a hard copy. This is known as a ‘subject access request’ or “SAR”. Please see Millom without Parish Council Subject Access Request Policy.
You will also find more detailed guidance on the website of the Information Commissioner.
If you are dissatisfied with the response from the Council then you should put your complaint in writing to the Clerk at the address above. If you are still dissatisfied, you may contact the Information Commissioner at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Information to be published |
How the information can be obtained |
Cost |
Class1 - Who we are and what we do |
|
|
Who’s who on the Council and its Committees |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Class 2 – What we spend and how we spend it |
|
|
Annual return, Statement of Accounts, Governance Statement, report by auditor, expenditure over £100 |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Finalised budget and precept |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Asset Register |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Financial Regulations and Standing Orders |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Grants given and received |
Website / Email Hard copy
|
Free 10p per sheet |
List of current contracts awarded and value of contract |
Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Members’ allowances and expenses |
Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing |
|
|
Parish Plan (current and previous year as a minimum) |
N/A |
N/A |
Chairman Annual Report to Parish or Community Meeting |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Quality status |
N/A |
N/A |
Class 4 – How we make decisions |
|
|
Timetable of meetings |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Agendas of meetings (as above) |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Minutes of meetings (as above) – n.b. this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Reports presented to council meetings – n.b. this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. |
Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Responses to consultation papers |
Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Responses to planning applications |
Hard copy
|
Free 10p per sheet |
Class 5 – Our policies and procedures |
|
|
Policies and procedures for the conduct of council business: Code of Conduct |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Policies and procedures for the provision of services and about the employment of staff: Complaints procedure Equal Opportunity policy Health and safety policy Risk Management policy Data protection policy Freedom of information policy Grievance procedure Disciplinary policy Protocol on the recording and filming of Parish Council meetings Press and Media policy Retention of Documents policy |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Schedule of charges (for the publication of information) |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Class 6 – Lists and Registers |
|
|
Assets register |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Register of members’ interests |
Website / Email Hard copy |
Free 10p per sheet |
Class 7 – The services we offer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contact details:
Lesley Cooper
Clerk to the Parish Council
Low Marshside, Underhill, nr Millom, Cumbria LA18 5HA
Email: millomwithoutparishcouncil@outlook.com
Telephone: 01229 775492
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 |
|
Postage |
Actual cost of Royal Mail standard 2nd class |
Statutory Fee |
As identified in the aforementioned policy |
In accordance with the relevant legislation |