We are committed to being open and transparent in the way we work. The Publication scheme sets out the classes of information we routinely make available and explains how residents, partners, businesses and other stakeholders can access council information.
We follow the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) model publication scheme, which all public authorities must adopt. Our scheme also reflects the requirements of the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.
The publication scheme covers:
- The information we publish as a matter of routine
- Where to find it
- How to request information that is not published
If you require information that is not published, you can submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) or Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) request. Guidance on how to do this is included below.
What we publish
We publish information in the following categories:
- Who we are and what we do
- What we spend and how we spend it
- Our priorities and performance
- How we make decisions
- Our policies and procedures
- Lists and registers
- The services we offer
- Open data and transparency information
Each category links to specific datasets, registers, policy documents, performance reports and service information.
You can view all information and individual datasets in our Publication Scheme Index.
Accessing information
- All downloadable data is provided in open, accessible formats such as CSV and Excel
- Reports and documents are provided in accessible PDF formats wherever possible
- Some datasets are also available on Essex Open Data
Most information is available free of charge. We will inform you in advance if a charge applies (for example, where extensive copying or processing is required).
If you need information that isn’t published
You can request information under the Freedom of Information Act, Environmental Information Regulations, or through a Subject Access Request (if the information is about you personally).
Reviewing and maintaining the scheme
We review the Publication Scheme regularly to ensure:
- All information is accurate and up to date
- New datasets are added
- Redundant information is archived with a clear explanation
- Transparency Code requirements are met
Re-use of public sector information regulation 2015
Colchester City Council does not own the copyright for information or documents supplied from external sources, so these are available for reuse without the specific consent of the copyright owner.
Ensure you refer to the terms of the dataset before reusing information.
Colchester Borough Homes
Colchester Borough Homes is the Council's arms-length management organisation for council housing. The full requirements of the transparency code only apply to councils, rather than arms-length management organisations (ALMOs). You can see a wide range of information at Colchester Borough Homes.
If you would like this in an alternative format, please contact us.