Who we are and what we do
  • Council constitution
    The Council’s Constitution consists of a number of documents that, under the Local Government Act 2000, are required to be brought together and made available for public inspection. The articles of the constitution set out the basic principles that underlie the way the Council operates.
  • Council democratic structure
    Further information not included in the constitution about the decision-making bodies of the council and their role.
  • Organisational chart
    Information about the senior management structure of the Council and Strategic Executive Board.
  • Location and opening times of Council properties
    Information about locations, opening times and contact details of the Council’s centres/buildings, to enable the public to access Council services.
  • Currently elected councillors’ information and contact details
    Currently elected councillors, including party, membership of committees and contact information.
  • Contact details for all customer-facing departments
    Telephone numbers and email addresses for customer contacts.
  • Most recent election results
    Election results indicating the political composition of the Council.
  • Relationships with other authorities
    Information about how the Council works with other Outside Bodies and Partnerships.
What we spend and how we spend it
  • Financial statements, budgets and variance reports
    The Council’s Statement of Accounts.
  • Capital programme
    The Council’s capital programme, detailing planned expenditure on the acquisition of property, plant and equipment, or expenditure which adds to, and not merely maintains, the value of an existing asset.
  • Spending reviews
    The Council’s Statement of Accounts and Cabinet / Committee and Scrutiny reports.
  • Financial audit reports
    The Council’s Statement of Accounts and Audit Reports.
  • The members’ allowances scheme and the allowances paid under it to councillors each year
    The allowances members are entitled to claim and the amount each member received in expenses.
  • Staff allowances and expenses
    Mileage, accommodation, subsistence rates that can be claimed by employees.
  • Pay and grading structure
    Salary bands for all grades, including senior and chief officer grades.
  • Procurement procedures
    Details of procedures for acquiring goods and services and contracts currently available to public tender.
  • Details of contracts and tenders to businesses and to the voluntary community and social enterprise sector
    Details of contracts awarded.
  • Details of grants to the voluntary community and social enterprise sector
    Payments made to voluntary community and social enterprise sector.
  • Independent auditor’s report
    The Council’s Statement of Accounts and Audit Reports.
  • Financial statements for projects and events
    The Council’s Statement of Accounts.
  • Internal financial regulations
    Financial regulations as contained in the Council’s Constitution.
  • Funding for partnership arrangements
    Details of pooled budgets, guarantees, holdings etc. as contained in the Council’s Statement of Accounts.
What our priorities are and how we are doing
  • Strategies and business plans
    The Council’s Plan, Our City Our Vision.
    Forward Plan detailing the key decisions that the Council is going to take over the next one to four months.
  • Performance reviews and performance indicators
    Cabinet, Committee, Scrutiny reports and performance data.
  • Audits, inspections and reviews
    Publicly available inspection reports and peer reviews.
How we make decisions
  • Timetable of Council meetings
    Dates for meetings for the current year.
  • Agendas, officers’ reports, background papers and minutes of Council, Cabinet, Committees and other meetings
    Public information on the Council’s decision-making system.
  • Major policy proposals and decisions
    Information on the Council’s Forward Plan and via public information on the Council’s decision-making system.
  • Public consultations; facts and analyses of facts considered when framing major policies
    Consultations and information, ePetitions and outcomes.
  • Internal communications guidance, criteria used for decision-making, internal instructions, manuals and guidelines
    Information on the Council’s Forward Plan and via public information on the Council’s decision-making system.
Our policies and procedures
  • Policies and procedures for conducting Council business
    The Council’s Constitution.
  • Policies and procedures for delivering our services
    For example Planning, Regulatory Policy, Housing Strategy, Performance and Policy, Policy and procedures for professionals working in social care/multi-agency, acceptable use of social media and information governance .
  • Pay policy statement
    For example information in respect of pay and rewards and annual senior pay policy statement.
  • Policies and procedures about the recruitment and employment of staff
    For example employment information, current vacancies, recruitment and selection policy, market forces policy, equality and diversity and health and safety.
  • Customer service
    For example customer complaints and fraud reporting.
  • Records management and personal data policies
    Information Governance policies.
  • Charging regimes and policies
    For example annual fees and charges, parking fines and penalty charge notices, planning and local land charges, paying for social care, library charges and licensing fees.
Lists and registers
  • Public registers and registers held as public records
    For example the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Public Health Funerals, and Register of Electors.
  • Asset registers and information asset register
    For example, local authority land, social housing and business rates data.
  • CCTV
    Information about CCTV operated by the Council.
  • Disclosure logs
    Record of information provided in response to requests.
  • Register of councillors’ financial and other interests
    Councillors’ Register of Interests as recorded in the list of current councillors.
  • Senior officers’ declaration of interests
    For council officers at Head of Service level and above.
  • Register of gifts and hospitality
    For council officers at Head of Service level and above.
  • Highways, licensing, planning, commons, footpaths etc.
    For example the Council’s planning portal.
  • Register of electors
    The Register of Electors and information about how it can be inspected.
Services provided by the Council
  • Information about the services the Council provides
    Details of all the Council’s services can be found in the Council’s A-Z of Services.
  • Election information
    For example, election results, forthcoming elections, voting procedures and annual canvas.
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