Audit Commission’s Publication Scheme

The Audit Commission's Publication Scheme is outlined below. It shows the seven 'high-level' classes of information the Audit Commission is making available.

Click on a class to be taken to that section of the Scheme. Details are then provided of the categories of information available; how to access the information; and any further details.

If you have any problems access information, or which to make a complaint about our Publication Scheme, please contact our Information Compliance Manager via e-mail at foi@audit-commission.gov.uk or on 0844 798 7961 / 0844 798 6286.

Who are we and what do we do
What we spend and how we spend it
What are our priorities and how are we doing
How we make decisions
Policies and procedures
Lists and registers
The services we offer

1. Who are we and what do we do
Category of information	How to access information
a. Roles and responsibilities	Please see Part 2 of our Corporate governance framework 2008.
b. Organisational structure	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
c. Information relating to the legislation relevant to the Commission's functions	Please see Appendix 2 of our Corporate governance framework 2008.
d. Lists of and information relating to organisations with which the Commission works in partnership	This information is available at various locations on our website.
e. Senior staff and management board members	Please see our website at the following pages: board and commissioners.
f. The locations and contact details for the Commission	Please see our website at the following pages: offices and auditors.

2. What we spend and how we spend it
Category of information	How to access information
a. Financial statements, budgets and variance reports	Please see our Annual Budget and quarterly Board Performance Reports Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
b. Capital programme	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a statement on this category.
c. Spending reviews	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please read background information
d. Financial audit reports	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of our National Audit Office management letter.
e. Staff and board members' allowances and expenses	Please see our Policy and the expenses of our senior officers. Please contact our Information Compliance Manager via email at foi@audit-commission.gov.uk or on 0844 798 7961 / 0844 798 6286 for a copy of the most recent information.
f. Pay and grading structures	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
g. Procurement and tendering procedures	Please see our Contract opportunities.
h. Lists of contracts awarded and their value	A Please see our Commercial Arrangement spreadsheet (Excel, 38Kb).
i. Financial statements for projects and events	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
j. Internal financial regulations	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.

3. What are our priorities and how are we doing
Category of information	How to access information
a. Strategic plans	Please see our Strategic plan 2006
b. Annual business plan	Please see our Work Programme and Studies Programme
c. Annual report	Please see our Annual report & accounts 2007/08
d. Internal and external performance reviews	Please see our Annual Quality Report. Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the Audit and Inspection Unit summary.
e. Reports to Parliament	Our Annual Report and Accounts falls into this category; please see 3c above
f. Inspection reports where the Commission is subject to formal inspection	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of our National Audit Office management letter.
g. Service standards	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please read background information
h. Statistics produced in accordance with the Commission's requirements	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please read background information
i. Public service agreement	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please read background information

4. How we make decisions
Category of information	How to access information
a. Major policy proposals and decisions	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please see 4d and 4e for more information
b. Background information relating to major policy proposals and decisions	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please see 4d and 4e for more information
c. Public consultations – Commission consultations	This information is availble at various locations on our website
c. Public consultations – Commission responses to external consultation	For a summary of the consultations that the Commission has replied to, please contact our Policy Advisor on 0844 798 2087.
d. Minutes of senior level meetings	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
e. Reports and papers provided for consideration at senior level meetings	At present, the Commission considers that it would be resource intensive to prepare reports and papers provided to the Board for routine publication.
f. Internal communications guidance and criteria used for decision making i.e. process systems and key personnel	Please see our Corporate governance framework 2008

5. Policies and procedures
Category of information	How to access information
a. Policies and procedures for the conduct of departmental business	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please see 4f, 5b and 5c for more information
b. Policies and procedures for the provision of services	Please see the link to our Standing Guidance. For access to our Technical Directories, please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk. Please note that, due to the Directories containing material which is not the copyright of the Audit Commission, only hardcopies will be provided at present. The Commission reserves the right to charge for photocopying and postage; any such charge will be outlined to you.
c. Policies and procedures for the recruitment and employment of staff	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
d. Customer service	Please see our Complaints Unit pages. For complaints about Freedom of Information, please see our FoI Complaints (PDF, 45Kb).
e. Records management and personal data policies	Our Records Management Policy is currently in draft form, ready to be agreed in January 2009. Personal data - please see our Information Charter (PDF, 35Kb).
f. Charging regimes and policies	Please see our Work programme and scale of fee pages as follows: - Local government, housing, criminal justice and fire and rescue services - Health Please also see our FoI Fees Policy (PDF, 57Kb).

6. Lists and registers
Category of information	How to access information
a. Public registers and registers held as public records	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please read background information
b. Asset registers and information asset Register	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information. The Audit Commission does not maintain an information asset register.
c. Disclosure logs	The Audit Commission does not maintain a Freedom of Information disclosure log.
d. Register of gifts and hospitality provided to Board members and senior personnel	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
e. Any register of interests kept in the department	Please contact foi@audit-commission.gov.uk for a copy of the most recent information.
f. Other lists required by law	Specific category of information not held by the Commission – please read background information.

7. The services we offer
Category of information	How to access information
a. Regulatory responsibilities	Please see 1a and 1c for details.
b. Services for public authorities	This information is available at various locations on our website.
c. Services for industry
d. Services for other organisations
e. Services for members of the public
f. Services for which the Commission is entitled to recover a fee together with those fees	Please see 5f above.
g. Leaflets, booklets and newsletters	This information is available at various locations on our website.
h. Advice and guidance	This information is available at various locations on our website.
i. Media releases	Available from our press office.

Payment for material

Documents on the Commission's website are available free of charge. The Commission may charge an administrative fee for producing any document in print.

The Commission does, however, reserve its rights under any relevant legislation relating to copyright. Please see Section 5. Using Audit Commission information for more details.

Background information

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published sector-specific Definition Documents for most public authorities. These provided a guide to the types of information the ICO expected authorities to proactively publish.

The Audit Commission is a Public Corporate. A Definition Document was not produced for Public Corporations, so the Commission followed the Definition Document for Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB).

Communities and Local Government, the Audit Commission's sponsor Department, have stated that the Commission should treat itself as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) for most governance purposes.

The Commission has tried to meet the ICO's expectations for each category of information defined by the Definition Document. Of the 52 categories of information, the Commission believes that eight relate to information that is not held by the Commission.

Further information:

Audit Commission
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