Equalities Policy

This policy applies to equalities in employment  practises and the delivery of services.

Broughton and Milton Keynes Village Parish Council will seek to ensure fair and equal access to our services by all parishioners on the basis of need.  The council will work with other agencies to ensure that the needs of our community are represented and through its community leadership role will act as a model of good equal opportunities practice.

The council will not discriminate on any grounds including, but not limited to, the grounds of gender, disability, race, age, colour, ethnic origin, culture, religious belief, marital status, sexuality, HIV status and responsibility for dependents.

Our members and clerk will be treated with dignity and respect and will be valued for their contributions.

The council is committed to making this policy effective.  It is the responsibility of every member of the council and employee of the council to uphold and implement this policy.  The council accepts its statutory responsibilities in accordance with the relevant legislation.

Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act provides members of the public with basic rights of access to certain types of information.  The Parish Council has adopted what is known as the Core Scheme.  The documentation contained in the Core Scheme is summarised below: 

1)   COUNCIL INTERNAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - Minutes, Standing Orders, Annual Report
2)   CODE OF CONDUCT - Declaration of Acceptance of Office, Register of Interests
3)   PERIODIC ELECTORAL REVIEW
4)   EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
5)   PLANNING DOCUMENTS - responses to applications
      NB The Parish Council is not permitted to provide copies of planning applications.
6)   AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS - Accounts, Auditor’s Report, Financial Regulations, Asset Register, Risk Assessment, VAT records, Precept Request

These documents are available in one of two ways:

• Inspection, by prior arrangement with the Clerk.
• By the production of hard copies, provided that the required notice is given (20 days) and payment is made at the statutory minimum of 10p per side of A4.

The supply of documents under Freedom of Information does not give the person or organisation who receives them an automatic right to reuse the documents in a way that would infringe copyright, for example, by making multiple copies, publishing and issuing copies to the public.

Section 36 of the Act also provides for information to be exempt from disclosure where that information would, or would be likely to, inhibit:

• The free and frank provision of advice, or
• The free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation, or
• The effective conduct of public affairs.

The exemption only applies if the reasonable opinion of a qualified person is that any of the above effects would or would be likely to follow from a disclosure.

The qualified persons are the Clerk to the Parish Council, Mrs Helen Ward, and in her absence, the Chair of the Council, Mr Alex Kidd.