The Freedom of Information Act requires all public authorities, which includes the Council of the Isles of Scilly, to adopt and maintain a publication scheme. The idea of a publication scheme is to let everyone know what information will be automatically, or routinely, published by the Council.
The Council has two publication schemes:
The Council's FOI Publication Scheme
The Council's FOI Sea Fisheries Scheme
In preparing the Council's schemes we have had regard to the public interest. We have taken notice of the sort of information that people normally ask us for and what they are interested in. We have also had regard overall to the public interest of disclosure of information in the interests of open and accountable local government as well as having regard to information which is already published and the rights that the Freedom of Information Act has brought.
The scheme and this legislation does not limit in any way other rights that people have to information nor does it limit in any way the very large amount of information that we otherwise publish outside the scheme.
Therefore planning applications will continue to be available for public inspection. Again, the rights of our tenants and housing applicants with regard to information concerning their tenancy and application are also unaffected.
Additionally we continue to publish a large amount of material by way of guidance or assistance about various services on a routine basis as we have done.
A great deal of the information that we hold is personal and private to individuals.
The Freedom of Information Act does not deal with this. The relevant legislation is the Data Protection Act.
The Freedom of Information Act does not make public private and confidential information about peoples private Council Tax, Benefit, tenancy etc arrangements with the Council. The individual concerned however, does have access to that information under the Data Protection Act. In other words therefore your private affairs and business with the Council as an individual are not the subject of this publication scheme.
The Council has appointed its Chief Executive, Philip Hygate who is based at The Town Hall, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly TR21 0LW. Telephone 01720 422537; Fax 01720 422202; e-mail FOI@scilly.gov.uk as the officer responsible for this scheme on behalf of the Council and also as responsible for maintaining the scheme on a day to day basis.
Requests for information under the Freedom Of information Act should be made to the Chief Executive or using the online Freedom of Information Request Form.
Additionally the Chief Executive Officer deals with complaints. The Council has a set complaints procedure and any complaints about Data Protection or the Freedom of Information Act or other services generally may be dealt with by contacting his office.
The opportunity to complain to the Council through its Chief Executive does not limit any rights people have to complain to the Freedom of Information Commissioner (again, either about Freedom of Information or Data Protection) at the following address:-
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Fax :01625 524 510 DX: 20819 Wilmslow
Tel: 01625 545 745 e-mail : data@dataprotection.gov.uk.
A charge is made by the Council for examining the information within this publication scheme in line with the fees and charges proposed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. A charge may also be made at rates determined from time to time by the Council for any photocopies sought.
