Freedom of information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you the right to have access to many different types of information held by public authorities. Section 3 of the Act defines the University of Chester as a public authority and section 19 obliges the University, along with all public authorities, to produce a guide to the information that they publish or intend to publish. This guide is called a Publication Scheme.
A Publication Scheme has to be approved by the Office of the Information Commissioner and must include:- the types of information that are published or it is intended to publish, the means by which the information will be made available e.g. as a printed copy or on the Web site and details of any charges that will be applied. Should you want more information about the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this can be obtained from the Office of the Information Commissioner, at http://www.ico.gov.uk http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/or the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Unit of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, http://www.dca.gov.uk which has responsibility for policy matters relating to Freedom of Information.
The Publication Scheme is not an exhaustive list of documents. It is a guide to where you will be able to look for different types of information. This information is split into ‘Classes’, and in accordance with section 19.1 of the Act, as more information becomes available it will be made accessible in the manner indicated in the Scheme. By this method the Freedom of Information Act seeks to ensure that the public sector will make a commitment of openness to the public as well as making sure that the information that can be accessed is as up to date as possible.
Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Legal requirement
1.1. Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by requiring all ‘public authorities’ to make information available proactively, through a publication scheme.
1.2. ‘Public authorities’ are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.
What is a publication scheme?
A publication scheme is a document that describes the information a public authority publishes, or intends to publish. In this context, ‘publish’ means to make information available, routinely. These descriptions are called ‘classes of information’. The scheme is not a list of the actual publications, because this will change as new material is published or existing material revised. It is, however, the public authority’s commitment to make available the information described.
1.3. A publication scheme must set out the classes, or categories, of information published. It must also make clear how the information described can be accessed and whether or not charges will be made.
The ‘model’ publication scheme for higher education
1.4. The University of Chester has adopted the model publication scheme developed for the Higher Education sector and is therefore committed to publishing the information it describes.
1.5. This model is designed for universities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the model is to save institutions duplicating effort in producing individual schemes and to assist the public in accessing information from across the sector. However, to reflect the diversity in size and function of institution, a number of optional classes of information are included. As a result, models within the sector will vary slightly. Any optional classes relevant to us have been included in our scheme.
1.6. To assist with the development of the model, a number of institutions across the sector volunteered as pilots. Information about the pilot exercise is available from the JISC website http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=mps_overview (Joint Information Systems Committee).
Who we are
1.7. The Church of England established the college that would beceom the University of Chester in 1839. Two of its original founders were the nineteenth century prime ministers, Sir William Gladstone and the Earl of Derby. Its original buildings were specifically designed for the training of teachers. It is the oldest such University in the country and one of the oldest Higher Education establishments of any kind, predating most universities. The University's traditional concern with the professional training of teachers is still strongly continued in the present B.Ed. and P.G.C.E. programmes.
1.8. In the twentieth century the University grew and diversified steadily. In 1910, it began its long and fruitful association with the University of Liverpool, whose degrees it still awards. The establishment of the School of Nursing and Midwifery in the 1990s marked a particularly important stage in the University's diversification. The University of Chester now has some 9,000 students drawn from all over the United Kingdom. There are also strong international links, particularly with the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Greece, Finland, Hong Kong and Singapore.
1.9. As well as B.Ed., B.A., B.Th., B.Sc. and LLB degrees, and courses leading to master's degrees, research degree supervision for MPhil. and Ph.D awards is a growing area of activity. The recent development of courses in business and management, dietetics, criminology and journalism has further extended the University's work and connections with industry, commerce and the professions. The University continues to invest in providing new accommodation, resources multi‑purpose teaching and learning buildings.
1.10. Two major landmarks in the University's history have recently been passed. In August 2002 the University took responsibility for the Higher Education campus of Warrington Collegiate Institute. In August 2003 the University was granted the power to award its own taught degrees, which brought with it University College status.
1.11. The University’s links with the community are many and various. For example, the University continues an association with the Chester Literature Festival and the Chester Music Festival. Individual academic departments have formed valuable partnerships with sections of the City and County Councils in the areas of archaeology, out-of-school activities, the encouragement of schoolchildren to use local libraries, and a flourishing Drama School. We have also participated in a number of nationally-driven volunteer initiatives, including the Millennium Volunteers, a programme to encourage 16-24 year-olds to spend some of their time for the benefit of others.
1.12. The University’s Ecumenical Chaplaincy and its Chapel continue to play an important part in its life. The University Chapel’s weekly services, conducted in a variety of styles, attracted a growing number of participants. Awareness and action on global issues is reflected in the ongoing success of the Chaplaincy’s Global Perspective initiative, which continues to increase its activities and influence in several areas of the world. The Christian message permeates many aspects of University life. As a consequence, our students often remark that the University cares about its students and that they enjoy living within a village type environment. Within its measured expansion, the University’s Strategic Management Team and its University Council are mindful of the need to maintain this atmosphere.
1.13. Whilst Higher Education has changed, with students now being referred to as “customers,” many of our departing students still remark on those aspects of University life that are consistent with the aspirations of the founders. They often speak of a friendly atmosphere and a village community. The University continues to develop in size, but the founders’ ethos is evidently moving along in tandem and those who study and work at Chester still enjoy a good quality of experience.
Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
1.14. The classes of information we publish are described in the second part of the scheme.
1.15. Next to each class we have indicated the manner in which the information described will be available. We have also indicated whether charges apply to material in each class.
1.16. To request information available through our publication scheme, please contact the relevant departments directly at the University address or to the Institutional Compliance Officer at the University's address.
1.17. Please note that a publication scheme relates to ‘published’ information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.
What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
1.18. From 1 January 2005 there exist the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information held by a public authority that it has not already made available through its publication scheme.
1.19. Requests will have to be made in writing and, in general, public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. They may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. They will not be required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies. However, public authorities may be required to explain to the applicant why they are not releasing information and they may also have to justify this to the Information Commissioner.
Feedback
1.20. It is important that this publication scheme meets your needs. If you find the scheme difficult to understand, please let us know. We also welcome suggestions as to how our scheme might be improved. Any questions, comments or complaints about this scheme should be sent in writing to the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator or to the University Secretary t the University.
1.21. If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Information Commissioner, the independent body who oversees the Freedom of Information Act:
Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF Tel: 01625 545700 Fax: 01625 545510
1.22. More information about the Freedom of Information Act is available on the Information Commissioner’s website at:
1.23. Please note that Scotland has its own Freedom of Information Act and Information Commissioner. For more information, please see the Scottish Executive’s website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/government/foi or http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/ for the Scottish Information Commissioner.
This section covers information relating to the way the Institution is organised including the legal framework and recruitment. It includes information on the legal status of the Institution, which individual member of staff or group within the institution is responsible for specific functions and where they fit in the overall structure of the organisation. In some instances information will be exempt from disclosure where it contains personal information, information that may damage the commercial interests of the institution or that may threaten the health and safety of specific individuals.
Description |
Manner |
Available From |
1.1 - Legal Framework |
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Web & Hard Copy |
University Secretary/Bursar’s Office |
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The Principles and Regulations A1.1 The Legal Framework |
Hard Copy |
A.Q.S.S. |
University of Chester was founded as Chester Diocesan Training College in 1839 and established by a Deed dated 13th January 1843, which was further regulated, augmented, supplemented and varied by Deeds and Schemes from 19th February 1858 to 20th December 1995. |
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University of Chester is a Registered Charity in the matter of the Charities Act 1993. Registered Charity Number 525938 http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/RegisterHomePage.aspx |
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The authority to confer awards of University of Chester derives from an Order made by the Privy Council under Section 76 of the Further and Higher Education Act (1992). |
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1.2 - How the Institution is organised |
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Description of the University Council and its committees including Terms of Reference and membership |
Web & Hard Copy |
University Secretary |
Committee Structure |
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Description of Senate and its sub-committees including Terms of Reference and membership Structure of University Committees |
Hard Copy |
Academic Secretary |
Web & Hard Copy |
Vice-Chancellor’s Office |
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Support and Administrative Departments |
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1.3 – Location and Contact Details |
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Web & Hard Copy |
M.R.A. | |
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1.4 – Lists of information relating to organisations which the university has responsibility for, those it works in partnerships with, those it sponsors and companies wholly owned by it |
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Wholly owned subsidiary companies: Conferences, Academic Press, Business school, Enterprises & Housing |
Hard Copy |
University Secretary |
NHS Collaborative links |
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Partner or Associate Colleges |
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1.5 – Student Activities |
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SSG Volunteering & Development |
Web & Hard Copy |
Dean of Students |
Students' Union |
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Students' Union General Manager |
This section covers information on the Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
The Finance Office provides accounting, procurement and contracting services, helping to make best use of resources and fulfilling statutory responsibilities. Information that may damage the institution’s commercial interests will be excluded from publication.
Description |
Manner |
Available from |
2.1 - Funding/Income |
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Revenue - How the University spends its money |
Web |
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Financial performance by operating unit & expenditure categories from HESA |
Web |
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Statutory accounts (included in Annual Report/Review) |
Web & Hard copy |
Corp. Comms |
Web & Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
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Web & Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
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Web & Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
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Web & Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
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Web & Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
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2.2 - Budgetary and account information |
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Annual Accounts |
Web |
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Web & Hard Copy | Corp. Comms | |
2.3 – Financial Audit Reports & Capital programme |
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Web |
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2.4 – Financial regulations and procedures |
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Finance Regulations |
Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
Expense rules etc |
Hard Copy |
Finance Department |
2.5 – Staff pay and grading structures |
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Pay scales & related policies |
Hard Copy |
University Secretary/Bursar’s Office |
Pension scheme
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Web & Hard Copy |
H.R.M.S. |
2.6 – Register of suppliers |
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List of suppliers and from Northwest Universities Purchasing Consortium |
Hard Copy |
University Secretary/Bursar’s Office |
2.7 – Procurement and tender procedures and reports |
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Web & Hard Copy |
University Secretary/Bursar’s Office | |
Procurement Services |
Web & Hard Copy |
Procurement Services |
Northwest Universities Purchasing Consortium |
Web & Hard Copy |
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2.8 – Contracts |
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Information not held |
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2.9 – Research funding |
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Annual Accounts |
Hard Copy |
University Secretary |
This section covers information on the Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
Description |
Manner |
Available from |
3.1 - Annual Report |
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Web & Hard Copy |
Corp. Comms |
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3.2 - Corporate and Business plans |
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Corporate plan |
Hard Copy |
Vice-Chancellor's Office |
3.3 – Teaching, Learning, Research and Knowledge Transfer Strategy |
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Teaching and Learning Strategy | Hard Copy | Dean of Academic Quality |
Research Strategy | Hard Copy | Dean of Research |
3.4 – Academic Quality & Standards |
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Quality and Standards Manual | Hard Copy |
Dean of Academic Quality |
Principles & Regulations |
Hard Copy | Dean of Academic Quality |
3.4 - External review information |
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QAA Institutional and Subject Reviews | ||
Research Assessment Exercise | ||
OfSTED Inspection Reports | ||
NMC Quality assurance | ||
General Social Care Council | ||
Health Professions Council | ||
National Student Survey | ||
Unistats | ||
TEF Outcome | ||
REF | ||
3.5 - Corporate relations |
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Professional Development Unit |
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3.6 - Government and regulatory reports |
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See 3.4 above | ||
Compliance with Equality Act 2010 |
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Web | Student Futures | |
Web | Human Resources |
This section covers information on the Decision making processes and records of decisions.
Description |
Manner |
Available from |
4.1 - Minutes from University Council and Senate. |
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Published Minutes |
Hard Copy | Academic Secretary |
4.2 - Teaching and Learning committee minutes |
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Published Minutes |
Hard Copy | Dean of Academic Quality |
4.3 - Minutes of staff / student consultation meetings |
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Published Minutes by department |
Hard Copy | Dean of Students |
4.4 – Appointment committees and procedures |
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Process for Honorary degrees; Minutes exempted |
Hard Copy | Academic Secretary |
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This section covers information on current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities.
Description |
Manner |
Available from |
5.1 - Procedures and policies for conducting university business |
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General policies |
Hard Copy | University Secretary |
5.2 - Procedures and policies relating to academic services |
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General policies |
Hard Copy |
Academic Secretary |
5.3 - Procedures and policies relating to student services |
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General policies Handbook E - Admisson of Students Student Procedures Library |
Web & Hard Copy |
Dean of Students |
5.4 - Procedures and policies relating to human resources |
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General policies |
Hard Copy |
Director of H.R.M.S. |
Pay policy Statement |
Hard Copy | Director of H.R.M.S |
5.5 - Procedures and policies relating to recruitment |
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General policies - Vacancies site |
Hard Copy |
Director of H.R.M.S. |
5.6 – Code of conduct for members of governing bodies |
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General policies |
Hard Copy |
University Secretary |
5.7 - Equality and Diversity |
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5.6 - Health and Safety |
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Health & Safety Policies |
Hard Copy |
Director of Facilities |
5.7 - Estate management |
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Estates Managment Policies |
Hard Copy |
Director of Facilities |
5.8 – Complaints policy |
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Student Complaints Procedure |
Hard Copy | Dean of Students |
5.10 – Records Management and personal data policies |
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Web & Hard Copy | Institutional Compliance Officer | |
Freedom of Information Policy |
Hard Copy | Institutional Compliance Officer |
Information Security Policy |
Hard Copy | Director of Learning & Information Services |
Acceptable Use policy |
Hard Copy | Director of Learning & Information Services |
5.10 - Research policy and strategy |
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University Research |
Hard Copy |
Dean of Research |
5.11 – Charging regimes and policies |
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Web & Hard Copy | Finance | |
This section covers information on Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publicly available registers.
Description |
Manner |
Available from |
6.1 – Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publically available registers |
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Not held |
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6.2 – Asset Registers |
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Not held |
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6.3 – Disclosure Logs |
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FOI Disclosure Log |
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6.4 – Register of gifts and hospitality provided to senior personnel |
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Not held |
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6.5 – Any register of interests kept in the university |
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Register of Governor's interests |
Hard Copy |
University Secretary |
This section covers Information about the services we offer, leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced for the public and businesses.
Details of the services for which we are entitled to recover a fee together with those fees.
Description |
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Manner |
Available from |
7.1 – Prospectus |
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Undergraduate Prospectus | Web & Hard Copy | Marketing Recruitment and Admissions | |
Postgraduate Prospectus | Web & Hard Copy | Marketing Recruitment and Admissions | |
Research Degrees | Web & Hard Copy | Graduate School | |
7.2 – Services for outside bodies |
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Conference Office | |||
Continuing Professional Development | |||
7.3 – Course content |
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See 7.1 above |
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7.4 – welfare and counselling |
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Support for Students | Hard Copy | Dean of Students | |
7.5 – Health including medical services |
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Student Occupational Health Unit | Hard Copy | Occupational Health Manager | |
7.6 – Careers |
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Careers and Employability | Web & Hard Copy | Director of Careers & Employability | |
7.7 – Chaplaincy services |
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Chaplaincy | Web & Hard Copy | Dean of Chapel | |
7.8 – Services for which the university is entitled to recover a fee together with those services |
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University Transcript | Hard Copy | Director of Registry Services | |
Catering | |||
Accommodation | |||
7.9 – Sports and recreational facilities |
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Sports and Recreation | |||
7.10 – Museums, libraries, special collections and archives |
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University Libraries and Learning Resources | |||
7.11 – Conference facilities |
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Conference Office | |||
7.12 – Advice and guidance |
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Support for Students | |||
7.13 – Local Campaigns |
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Corporate Communications and Press Office | |||
7.14 – Media Releases |
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Corporate Communications and Press Office |
Overall responsibility for the Publication Scheme rests with the University Secretary/Bursar to whom all queries concerning the Scheme should be addressed. Whereas day to day responsibility for the Publication Scheme rests with Sarah Pownall, Data Protection Officer. Should you have any comments about how the Scheme could be improved, these should also be addressed to the University Secretary/Bursar; via the Institutional Compliance Officer, as should any complaints about the Scheme, or the availability of information referred to in the Scheme. We will attempt to solve any complaints in an informal manner, but anyone who does not feel that a complaint has been dealt with properly may refer the matter to the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF Tel: 01625 545700 Fax: 01625 545510
The Information Commissioner will only investigate a complaint if the University has had the opportunity to deal with the matter under its internal complaints procedure. In order for the University to investigate a complaint fully, any information provided by the complainant may need to be shared with several members of the University staff, if they are involved in the decision making process, and the Information Commissioner. Such information will not be used for any other purpose.
Not all of the information held by the University will be openly accessible. This is because the Freedom of Information Act lists certain exemptions to the types of information to which you can expect to be given access. Personal information is not generally available, because of the responsibility to maintain confidentiality conferred by the Data Protection Act 1998, and there are other qualified exemptions where the University must consider whether the public interest would be better served by not releasing information. Examples of information of this type would include commercial matters the release of which could damage the interests of the University or a third party, details relating to law enforcement or investigations where access could damage the investigatory process and, information which, if it were to be made generally available, could jeopardise the health and safety of staff or students at the University. Where this is the case, the Scheme makes it clear that the information is not openly accessible. Should you want further information concerning the exemptions contained in the Freedom of Information Act, please contact the University Secretary/Bursar, or the Information Commissioner at the above address or at http://www.ico.gov.uk.