This guidance gives examples of the kinds of information that we would expect Welsh Assembly Government Sponsored Bodies to provide in order to meet their commitments under the model publication scheme. We would expect these bodies to make the information in this definition document available unless:
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they do not hold the information;
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the information is exempt under one of the FOI exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) exceptions, or its release is prohibited under another statute;
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the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or,
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it would be impractical or resource-intensive to prepare the material for routine release.
The guidance is not meant to give a definitive list. The legal commitment is to the model publication scheme, and authorities should look to provide as much information as possible on a routine basis.
Who we are and what we do
Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only.
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Roles and responsibilities
Welsh Assembly Government Sponsored Bodies (AGSBs) should be providing both outline and detailed information about their roles and responsibilities and the roles and responsibilities of those working in them at senior level.
An explanation of the internal structures of the AGSB referring to its functions, and how the structure relates to the roles and responsibilities.
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Information relating to the legislation relevant to functions
An explanation of the legislative basis of the activities of the AGSB.
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Lists of and information relating to organisations with which the AGSB works in partnership
It is expected that this information need be only sufficient for the purposes of identifying the relationship between these bodies and the AGSB. This will include the identity of the sponsoring body.
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Senior staff and management board members
Identification of, responsibilities of and biographical details of those making strategic and operational decisions about the provision of the AGSB’s services. Any biographical details that are not work related should be published only with consent.
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Locations and contact details
This should cover the AGSB at all levels from the central body to any offices open to the public for the conduct of the AGSB’s business.
It always assists to provide a named contact where this can be done.
What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
We would expect as a minimum that financial information for the current and previous two financial years should be available.
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Financial statements, budgets and variance reports
Financial information in sufficient detail to allow the public to see where money is being spent, where it is or has been planned to spend it and the difference between one and the other. Annual, and where practicable shorter timescales, should be used i.e. half yearly or quarterly. We would expect revenue budgets and budgets for capital expenditure to be included.
Information should be made available on major plans for capital expenditure including any public private partnership contracts.
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Spending reviews
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Financial audit reports
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Staff and board members’ allowances and expenses
Details of the allowances and expenses that can be claimed or incurred. It should include the total of the allowances and expenses paid to individual senior staff members by reference to categories. These categories should be produced in line with the council’s policies, practices and procedures and will be under headings like travel, subsistence and accommodation.
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Pay and grading structures
This may be provided as part of the organisational structure and should indicate, for most posts, levels of pay rather than individual salaries.
Details of procedures used for the acquisition of goods and services. Contracts currently available for public tender.
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Lists of contracts awarded and their value
We would expect normally that it should be necessary only to publish details of contracts that are of sufficient size to have gone through a formal tendering process.
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Financial statements for projects and events
Where there are identifiable projects, we would expect to be covered by this scheme at least those financial reports which indicate actual expenditure against original project budget. The larger the project, the greater the detail that should be available. Similarly, where events are organised that are publicised, the cost of them should be available through this scheme.
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Internal financial regulations
What are our priorities and how are we doing
Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
We would expect information in this class to be available at least for the current and previous three years.
Below is a list of the type of information that we would expect authorities to have readily available for publication. Any other reports or recorded information demonstrating the AGSB’s planned or actual performance should normally be included.
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Strategic plans
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Annual business plan
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Annual report
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Internal and external performance reviews
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Reports to Parliament
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Inspection reports where the AGSB is subject to formal inspection
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Service standards
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Statistics produced in accordance with the AGSB’s requirements
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Public service agreements
How we make decisions
Decision making processes and records of decisions.
We would expect information in this class to be available at least for the current and previous three years.
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Major policy proposals and decisions
Information that can be made available to the public without damaging international relations or internal policy development.
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Background information relating to major policy proposals and decisions
This will include facts, and analyses of facts, relevant and important to the framing of major policy proposals and decisions.
Details of consultation exercises with access to the consultation papers or information about where the papers can be obtained. The results of consultation exercises.
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Minutes of senior level meetings
We would expect management board minutes and the minutes of similar meetings where decisions are made about the provision of services, excluding material that is properly considered to be private, to be readily available to the public.
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Reports and papers provided for consideration at senior level meetings
Information presented to those at meetings making executive decisions, excluding those elements properly considered to be private.
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Internal communications guidance and criteria used for decision making, i.e. process systems and key personnel
Where access to internal instructions, manuals and guidelines for dealing with the business of the AGSB would assist public understanding of the way decisions are made these should be readily available. We would not expect information that might damage the operations of the AGSB to be revealed.
Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only. If there is particular reason to provide information that is not still current, this should also be included.
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Policies and procedures for the conduct of departmental business
Codes of practice, memoranda of understanding, procedural standing orders, internal guidance about the division of responsibilities between committees and delegated authority, policies on communications between councillors and members of staff and similar information should be included.
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Policies and procedures for the provision of services
This will include the Welsh Language Scheme of the AGSB and policies and procedures for handling information requests.
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Policies and procedures for the recruitment and employment of staff
Codes of practice, memoranda of understanding and the like should be included. Where recruitment policies require the advertisement of vacancies, details of current vacancies will no doubt be readily available.
A number of policies, for example equality and diversity, health and safety, will cover both the provision of services and the employment of staff.
Standards for the provision of services to the AGSB’s customers, including the complaint procedure.
Complaints procedures will include those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme.
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Records management and personal data policies
This will include information security policies, records retention, destruction and archive policies, and data protection (including data sharing) policies.
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Charging regimes and policies
Details of any statutory charging regimes should be provided. Charging policies should include charges made for information routinely published and clearly state what costs are to be recovered together with the basis on which they are made and how they are calculated.
Lists and registers
We would expect information in this class to be information in currently maintained lists and registers only.
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Public registers and registers held as public records.
Where an AGSB is obliged to maintain a register and to make the information in it available for inspection by the public, it is accepted that in most circumstances the existing provisions covering access will suffice. We would expect however that AGSBs do publicise which public registers they hold and how the information in them is to be made public. Where registers contain personal information, AGSBs must ensure that this is protected by the data protection principles.
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Asset registers and Information Asset Register
We would not expect AGSBs to publish all details from all asset registers. We would expect some information from capital asset registers to be available and where an AGSB has prepared an information asset register for the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005, this ought to be published.
Where an AGSB produces a disclosure log indicating the information that has been provided in response to request it should be readily available. Disclosure logs are themselves recommended as good practice.
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Register of gifts and hospitality provided to Board members and senior personnel
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Any register of interests kept in the department
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Other lists required by law
The services we offer
Information about the services we currently provide including leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced.
Generally this is an extension of part of the first class of information. While the first class provides information on the roles and responsibilities of the AGSB, this class includes details of the services which are provided by the AGSB, internationally, nationally and locally as a result of them. It will be of public benefit to have ready access, for example, to everything from information about the services provided to the government to the information readily available at a public counter. The starting point would normally be a list or lists of the services that fall within the responsibility of the AGSB, linked to details of these services.
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Regulatory responsibilities
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Services for public authorities
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Services for industry
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Services for other organisations
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Services for members of the public
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Services for which the AGSB is entitled to recover a fee together with those fees
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Leaflets, booklets and newsletters
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Advice and guidance
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Media releases
Version 2
23 October 2008
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