We're committed to openness and actively seek to make available information about how we work, our decision-making processes and the services we provide.

Our publication scheme is a guide to the information we have made available and intend to make available in the future.

It also provides details about how to obtain information, how it's made available, and if there is a charge for it.

You might also like to visit our open data page, which lists the information we make available online for you to re-use.

How the scheme is organised

• The publication scheme guides you to information we currently make available.
• The information is split into seven classes of information:

Who we are and what we do

This class contains organisational information, details of our structure and the principal contacts for the organisation.

• Our constitution
  Our constitution provides information about how we are organised, the rules under which we operate, how decisions are made and who is responsible for making decisions. It also includes rules about our finances, employment procedures and terms of reference for our committees.
• Location and opening times of our offices
• Councillors' information and contact details
• Council departmental structure and senior staff
• Election results
• Relationships with other authorities – details of how we work in partnership with other authorities and agencies in the area.

What we spend and how we spend it

This class contains financial information about us, our projected and actual income, procurement, contracts and financial audits.

• Financial statements, budgets and variance reports – What we have spent, what we plan to spend, how you can view our accounts as well as our Auditor's report.
• Payments to suppliers – Details of expenditure over £500 (published monthly).
• Councillor allowances – Details of the councillors’ allowance scheme and payments made to councillors.
• Salary information of senior staff and Chief Executive's expenses
• Election expenses
• Procurement – How to do business with the council and opportunities to tender for business with us.
• Internal financial regulations

What our priorities are and how we are doing

This class contains information on our strategies and plans, our performance and the outcomes of any inspections or reviews.

• Strategies and business plans for services provided by the council
  Corporate plans, plans for our services, our strategies.
• Internal plans and performance
  Review of council performance indicators and portfolio plans.
• Strategies developed in partnership with other authorities
• Forward Plan
• Impact assessments

How we make decisions

This class contains information on our decision-making processes.

• Timetable of committee and council meetings
• Agendas, minutes and reports – Copies of agendas and decision notes.
• Major policy proposals and decisions – Copies of agendas and decision notices.
• Public consultations and their outcomes

Our policies and procedures

This class contains information how the policies and procedures we use to deliver our services and carry out our responsibilities.

• Policies and procedures for conducting council business
  Codes of governance, our constitution and the regulations that inform how we make policies.
• Policies and plans for delivering our services
• Recruitment and employment policies and procedures
• Customer service standards
  Housing and tenancy services, complaints procedure.
• Personal data policies
  Data protection policy and our privacy statement.

Lists and registers

This class contains information about public registers maintained by us, details about our assets and information that we routinely disclose about our activities.

• Public registers
  Details of the registers we hold as public records and how to access them.
• Freedom of Information disclosure log
• Register of councillors' financial and other interests
  You will need to select the Councillor you are interested in.

Services provided by the council

This class contains information about the services we provide and how we publicise them.

• Services for local businesses
  Economic data, information and advice, planning guidance.
• Regulatory and licensing responsibilities
• Newsletters for city residents and tenants.
• Advice and guidance we give to city residents.
• Press releases

How the scheme works

Information in the publication scheme that is not available online can be requested from our officers, who will provide it to you as either a printed or electronic document.

We will respond within five working days of receiving your request.

If the information is available on our website we will show you where it is, if not we will provide you with the information. If the information forms part of our public registers we will let you know how you can arrange to see it.

Charges

We do not charge for the supply of documents in an electronic format. If you require information to be supplied to you in paper copy we may make a charge for printing and postage.

Our charges for printing or copying are 10p per A4 page and 20p per A3 page. Postage is charged at the rate for second class.

We will not charge for printing and postage if the total cost is less than £10.

Further information

For more information on the publication scheme and how it works read the guide to information [PDF, 0.2MB].

Copies of the guide and the publication scheme can also be viewed at the customer service centre.

The Monitoring Officer is responsible for the scheme, and the Freedom of Information Officer manages it on a day-to-day basis.

The scheme is reviewed on an annual basis and new information is added where appropriate.