PUBLICATION SCHEME Part One

1. Introduction

1.1 Welcome to the Publication Scheme for Forth Valley GIS Limited. This is a guide to the information routinely made available by the company as required under section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the Act).

1.2 The Act 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 is entitled to receive that information, subject to exemptions.

1.3 Under Section 23 of the Act, Forth Valley GIS Limited must adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the information we routinely make publicly available.  In addition, we have to review the scheme from time to time. In adopting (or reviewing) our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in:

• allowing public access to information we hold; and
• the publication of reasons for the decisions we make.

1.4 Our publication scheme must: 

• set out the classes of information which we publish or intend to publish;
• say how we will publish the information in each class; and 
• say if we will provide the information free or charge for it.

The purpose of our publication scheme is to let you know what information is readily available from us. By readily available we mean that the information can be obtained from us on request.

2. About This Scheme

2.1 This publication scheme is based on the Model Publication Scheme for Publicly Owned (Active) Companies and has been developed by the Scottish Information Commissioner. The Scottish Information Commissioner is responsible for the promotion and enforcement of the Act.

2.2 Section 23 of the Act states that in adopting or reviewing its publication scheme the authority must have regard to the public interest in allowing public access to information about:

• the services provided by the authority;
• the costs of those services;
• the standard attained by those services;
• the facts which form the basis of decisions taken by the authority which are of importance to the public; and
• the publication of reasons for decisions made by it.

3. About Our Public Authority

Forth Valley GIS Limited provides corporate Geographic Information Services to public sector organisations in the United Kingdom, including the three local authorities that currently own the company, namely Stirling Council, Clackmannanshire Council and Falkirk Council.

4. Responsibility for the Publication Scheme

4.1 The following person has overall responsibility for this scheme:

Name: Alan Moore
Job Title: Chief Executive
Address: Drummond House, Wellgreen Place, STIRLING, FK8 2DY
Telephone Number: 01786 476060
Email Address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

4.2 The following person is responsible for maintaining the scheme on a daily basis:

Name: Linda Workman
Job Title: Business Support Manager
Address: Drummond House, Wellgreen Place, STIRLING, FK8 2DY
Telephone number: 01786 476060
Email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

5. Exemptions

(a) All information included in this Scheme must be provided promptly on request (subject to the exemptions discussed below).

(b) From 1 January 2005, the general entitlement to information under section 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 will enable any member of the public to make a request for information that is not in this Scheme.

Forth Valley GIS Limited’s aim is to be as open as possible.  However, information may be withheld from any of the classes of information listed below where we consider that the disclosure may fall within one of the exemptions contained in the Act.  For example, we may withhold information if its disclosure would breach the law of confidentiality or seriously prejudice the commercial interests of any person or organisation.  We may also withhold information which is personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998.

In these cases, we will withhold the information and indicate why the information is being withheld.  Even where an exemption exists, it may nevertheless be possible to provide copies with the exempted information edited out.

If you wish to complain about information which is being withheld from you, please read the “complaints” section below at paragraph 9.

6. Archiving Policy

Forth Valley GIS Limited recognises the importance of records management and archiving.  Forth Valley GIS has a established records management and archiving policy and procedures in place in order to ensure that all our records are managed effectively. 7

7. Copyright

Unless otherwise stated, Forth Valley GIS Limited reserves copyright in all information available under this publication scheme, whether that information is in electronic or hard-copy format, text or graphics, and regardless of whether the copyright (©) symbol appears. The right to information under this scheme does not include permission to reproduce that information. Such use may infringe copyright, and consent of the copyright holder should always be sought.)

8. Accessing Information Under the Publication Scheme

People can access information under the publication scheme in a number of ways. The information can be accessed as follows:

By email: if the information you request is not available on this website, but is listed in our publication scheme, we will send it to you by email, wherever practicable. When requesting information, please include a telephone number, so that we can telephone to clarify any details, if necessary.

By phone: Information can be requested over the telephone. Please provide full contact details, including a telephone number, so that we can telephone to clarify any details, if necessary.

By post: All information is also available in a paper copy form. Please address your request to Linda Workman, Forth Valley GIS Limited, Drummond House, Wellgreen Place, Stirling, FK8 2DY. When requesting information, please include the following details: your name and address, the information or documents you want to see. Please include a telephone number, so that we can telephone to clarify any details, if necessary.

If you have difficulty determining the information you want to see, please contact Linda Workman, on 01786 476060 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it who will be happy to help.

No charge will be made for providing the information listed in Part 2 of this Publication Scheme.

9. Complaints

9.1 If you are unhappy with any aspect of this publication scheme, you can complain to Linda Workman on 01786 476060 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by post to Drummond House, Wellgreen Place, STIRLING, FK8 2DY.

9.2 If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Scottish Information Commissioner who oversees the Act and whose contact details are below.   From 1st January 2005, when the general right of access comes into force, there will be a formal appeal mechanism when information is withheld.   Further details on this will be available on the Commissioner’s website at www.itspublicknowledge.info before this date.

The contact details for the Commissioner are:

The Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Tel: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464611
Email Address:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

10. Feedback

As part of our statutory duty we are required to review our publication scheme periodically. Forth Valley GIS Limited welcomes feedback on how we can develop our scheme further. If you want to make any comments about the publication scheme or if you require any assistance please contact:  Linda Workman on 01786 443939 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by post to Drummond House, Wellgreen Place, STIRLING, FK8 2DY.For example:

• What did you like and dislike about this Publication Scheme?
• What else would you like to see in this Publication Scheme?
• Did you find the information you wanted easily and were the members of staff helpful?
• Do you have any suggestions on how to make Forth Valley GIS Limited more open and transparent in the provision of information?

PUBLICATION SCHEME Part Two

The following classes set out the information which Forth Valley GIS Limited are making available under this publication scheme.

Class 1: Legal Framework

The company’s certificate of incorporation, memorandum of association, articles of association, and address of the registered office.

Format(s):

Paper on request

Timescale of Availability

Immediately

Fee:

Information in this class is made available free of charge.

Class 2: Financial Resources

The annual accounts and auditors’ report.

Format(s):

Paper

Timescale of Availability

The annual accounts will be made available [four] weeks after they have been approved.

Fee:

Information in this class is made available free of charge.

Class 3: Board Meetings

Minutes, agendas and papers of Board meetings.

Format(s):

Paper

Timescale of Availability:

Minutes, agenda and papers will be made available four weeks after they have been approved.

Fee:

Information in this class is made available free of charge.

Class 4: Directors

List of the names of current directors, their roles and responsibilities.

Format(s):

Paper

Timescale of Availability:

The current list of the names of current directors, their roles and responsibilities is available immediately.

Fee: Information in this class is made available free of charge