Publication scheme
Every public authority will be required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information.
Contact Details:
Address: Southampton City Council,
Civic Centre,
Southampton
Postcode: SO14 7LY
Telephone: 023 8022 3855
Details of service:
Every public authority will be required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information. The purpose of our scheme is to ensure that a significant amount of information is made available, without the need for a specific request to be made. The scheme is intended to encourage the publication of more information proactively, and to develop a greater culture of openness.
Classes
Southampton City Council's publication scheme sets out the classes of information, which the council will routinely publish. Within each class we have listed the specific documents and items of information that we publish. Where the document is available electronically you will find it elsewhere on the City Council's website. For other documents, details of how you can obtain or inspect a copy are provided.
Classes of information are available here
Information available by virtue of the Publication Scheme.
Where information is available on the website a hypertext link will direct you to the correct page on the website. For those without Internet access, single page print outs as on the website / copies of documents as on the website are available by post. In addition, some information may only be open to inspection at Civic Offices or available only by post. Where this is so, the scheme specifies to whom a request should be made. All requests to receive information by post should be made to the named post-holder at:
Southampton City Council
Civic Centre
SOUTHAMPTON
SO14 7LY
unless otherwise specified.
Alternatively, requests may be made by telephone to the post holder by contacting the Council's switchboard (023 8022 3855) and asking for the post holder named in the Classes as the member of staff responsible. Where a charge applies, this is or will be specified.
Notes on using the Scheme
The scheme is intended to provide guidance on finding information according to its type. Publication does not refer solely to printed material, it has been interpreted as broadly as possibly to include inclusion on the website, one-off printed documents from a desktop PC, electronic documents, printed books, reports and leaflets. Much of the material covered by the scheme is available on the Council's website.
Review and Amendment
Because this is a new statutory requirement on Public Authorities, it is the intention of the Council to keep its Publication Scheme under review. It is anticipated that our Publication Scheme will be reviewed, and where necessary submitted to the Information Commissioner for approval. The relevant information under each class will automatically be published and/or updated as required.
Charges
Please note that requests for multiple print outs, or for archived copies of documents which are no longer available on the web, may attract a charge for the cost of retrieval, photocopy, postage, etc. We will let you know this at the time of request (the charge will be payable in advance).
Citizens may access the Publication Scheme and information about the Council held on the internet via the internet access points made available for free to citizens in the Council's libraries. Details of these are available from the City Librarian.
Classes of information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires all public authorities, which includes Southampton City Council, to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme.
Last updated: 4 June 2007
