Guide to readily accessible information

Flintshire County Council is committed to making information available to the public as part of its normal business activities and uses its website to make this information available where it is practical to do so. If it is impracticable, or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, this guide gives contact details on how to obtain the information in paper or other format. In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person; for example, inspecting a public register maintained by the Council. Where this manner is specified, contact details are provided in the Guide, and an appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable time scale. In providing information the Council will comply with its Welsh Language Scheme and with its obligations under Equalities legislation.

There are the following classes of information:

1. 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.

3. What our priorities are and how we are doing

   Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.

4. How we make decisions

   Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations. Minutes of all council, cabinet, committee and sub-committee meetings. 

5. Our policies and procedures.

   Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities.

6. Lists and Registers

   Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority.

7. The Services we Offer

   Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered.

8. Datasets

   Datasets in a re-usable format may be found through this link to the web page. 

Section 11(5) of the Freedom of Information Act defines a dataset as "information comprising a collection of information held in electronic form where all or most of the information in the collection—

(a) has been obtained or recorded for the purpose of providing a public authority with information in connection with the provision of a service by the authority or the carrying out of any other function of the authority,

(b) is factual information which—

(i) is not the product of analysis or interpretation other than calculation, and

(ii) is not an official statistic (within the meaning given by section 6(1) of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007),     and

(c) remains presented in a way that (except for the purpose of forming part of the collection) has not been organised, adapted or otherwise materially altered since it was obtained or recorded."

Information which is made routinely available will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

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 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. 

Charges
The Council is entitled to charge for information that it makes readily available but has decided that normally there will be no charge. The Council's libraries provide free internet access to the information that is available via the Council's website.

The exceptional circumstances where charges may be made are detailed in the Schedule of Charges, also Flintshire Record Office Charges may apply. 

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 either regulations made under section 11b of the Freedom of Information Act or other enactments. 

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 referred to in this guide can be requested by writing to foi@flintshire.gov.uk or to the Freedom of Information Act Officer, Democratic Services, County Hall, Mold, CH7 6NR (see also the Council's web page on Freedom of Information which gives more details). 

Copyright
Access to information does not automatically confer the right to re-use it. Information may still be covered by Copyright and a licence may be required to re-use it. If you wish to re-use information please write to The Records Manager, County Hall, Mold, CH7 6NB or email records.management@flintshire.gov.uk. More information can be found in this document:  Copyright - Reusing Public Sector Information.