Imporatant Note
This Publication Scheme has been replaced (as of Thursday, January 1, 2009) by a new West Yorkshire Police Publication Scheme.
Introduction
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities.
Any person who makes a request to a public authority for information must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information.
Individuals already have the right of access to information about themselves under the Data Protection Act 1998. As far as public authorities are concerned, the Freedom of Information Act extended this right to allow public access to all types of information held. This individual right of access to information came into effect on 1st January 2005.
Public authorities are required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information. The purpose of the scheme is to ensure a significant amount of information is available, without the need for a specific request. Schemes are intended to encourage organisations to publish more information pro-actively and to develop a greater culture of openness.
The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner (the “Commissioner”), a post that combines regulation of both the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts.
Please use the following link to go to the Information Commissioner website - www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Please note the above link is an external link and is subject to the following Disclaimer : by clicking on the link above you will leave the West Yorkshire Police website. West Yorkshire Police are not responsible for the quality, accuracy or content of external websites
The Legal Framework
What is the Legal Framework for a Publication Scheme?
Publication Schemes are a novel feature of the United Kingdom's legislation on access to information held by public authorities. Their purpose is a means by which a public authority can make a significant amount of information available routinely, without waiting for someone to specifically request it.
Section 19(2) of the Act sets out the requirements for a publication scheme as follows:
A publication scheme must:
- 1. specify classes of information that the public authority publishes or intends to publish;
- 2. specify the manner in which information of each class is, or is intended to be, published; and
3. specify whether the material is, or is intended to be, available to the public free of charge or on payment.
Section 19(3) states that "in adopting or reviewing a publication scheme, a public authority shall have regard to the public interest in allowing public access to information held by the authority and in the publication of reasons for decisions made by the public authority".
Section 19(1) provides that it shall be the duty of every public authority to adopt and maintain a publication scheme, to publish information in accordance with its scheme and, from time to time, to review its publication scheme.
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Types of Information
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Individuals already have the right of access to information about them ('personal data') which is held on computer, and in some paper files, under the Data Protection Act 1998 (click here to visit the Data Protection information). As far as public authorities are concerned, Freedom of Information will extend this right to allow access to all the types of information held, whether personal or non-personal. This right came into effect on 1st January 2005.
The Act does, however, set out some exemptions to this right and it also places a number of obligations on public authorities about the way in which they provide information. Subject to the exemptions anyone making a request has the right to be told whether information exists and the right to receive the information. In general, a response must be provided within 20 working days.
There is also a duty on public authorities to provide advice or assistance to anyone seeking information (for example in order to explain what is readily available or to clarify what is wanted).
For assistance, our contact details are :
Tel + 44 (0)1924 292202 / 292719
Please read this document if you wish to appeal against the decision made about your Freedom of Information request (PDF).
Advice about reading PDF files. -
Information Classes
Use the bookmarks below to jump down to the relevant section
Introduction
Who's Who & Where
What Are Our Aims, Objectives & Plans?
Chief Constable's Annual Report
Executive Decision Meetings
Command Team Meetings Minutes Archive
Our Policies
Online Crime Statistics / How Are We Doing?
Significant Public Interest
Introduction
In providing this information West Yorkshire Police is following the legally approved ACPO model publication scheme.
The Freedom of Information Act requires a Publication Scheme to specify the classes of information the public authority already publishes or intends to publish. Our intention is to publish as much information as possible on subjects where there is known to be public interest. However, exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act may prevent some information from being released.
West Yorkshire Police publishes, or intends to publish information under the Classes listed below:
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Who's Who & Where
Class Definition:
Details of the Force organisational structure and key personnel. This will include, as a minimum, the senior management team.
Go to the Chief Constables & Assistant Chief Constables section.
Go to the Local Policing seciton
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What Are Our Aims, Objectives & Plans?
Class Definition:
In this class of information Force level documents are published. They provide information on the strategic aims, objectives and plans of the Force.
Read the West Yorkshire Police Policing Plan / Join Summary
Read the Police Authority Annual Report.
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Chief Constable's Annual Report
Class Definition:
Here you will find the Force's Annual Report.
View the Annual Report page which contains the current annual report as well as archive copies of previous annual reports.
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Executive Decision Meetings
Class Definition:
In recognition of the need to have regard to the public interest in allowing access to public information held, and in the publication for reasons for decisions made, the ‘open' session of ratified minutes of formal Force level decision making meetings are published. They contain discussion of key strategic issues under consideration and the primary decisions relating to resource and budgetary matters. The 'closed' session of the minutes are not available under this publication scheme. They contain information of a confidential and sensitive nature, e.g. personnel, security matters and commercial interests.
Details of approved Open session minutes (commencing from launch of this publication scheme) are available on this website. After twenty four months they will be removed and archived.
Command Team - Minutes of Meetings
View the Command Team - Minutes of Meetings - archive page.
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Our Policies
Class Definition:
Here you will find current statements of principle providing guidance and direction to staff in respect of a specific issue or piece of legislation. Our policies establish the expected organisational behaviour in line with organisational objectives leading to a consistent approach to decision making. Our policies set out broad expectations and are the framework from which procedure flows.
It should be noted that some of the material in this Class contains exempt information, which in the public interest, should not be published. Where this occurs the material will clearly show where information has been withheld and explain what exemption has been applied and why. Typically information may be withheld if its release would compromise the health and safety of staff, investigations & proceedings and law enforcement more generally.
At the time of going live with this Publication Scheme we are currently reviewing a number of policy areas and as such are unable to load all of our policies onto our Website at present. If what you are looking for is not here, please contact our Corporate Review Department.
Go to the Policies section here.
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How Are We Doing? / Online Crime Statistics
Class Definition:
Here you will find information revealing our performance against national and Force objectives/targets and Best Value indicators which are required to be produced, as a minimum, on a quarterly basis for the Police Authority.
Crime Statistics - April 2005 to October 2006
Total Crime. (PDF 150kb)
Commercial / Business Crime. (PDF 33kb)
Non Crime (999 calls, traffic accidents etc). (PDF 49kb)
Repeat Victims of Crime. (PDF 66kb)
Further statistics information:- Our Latest Annual Report
- Home Office Crime Statistics Website. *
- Home Office Crime Statistics Website - West Yorkshire. *
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Significant Public Interest Category
Class Definition:
In addition to the above classes of information, we want to provide you with information of incidents that we believe have significant public interest. That is why we have created this ‘category’ of information which falls outside the approved Classes of Information.
Information provided in this category will be changed / updated as deemed appropriate by West Yorkshire Police.
Reform of Neighbourhood Policing - Making Public Problems Policing Priorities (A Submission from the Association of Chief Police Officers).
Download the Reform of Neighbourhood Policing document (PDF 497kb)
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* Disclaimer : by clicking on the links above you will leave the West Yorkshire Police website. West Yorkshire Police are not responsible for the quality, accuracy or content of external websites.
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- Our Latest Annual Report
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