The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 promotes openness and transparency and makes it easier for local people to contribute to the local decision making process and help shape public services.
Here’s a link to the full copy of the Local Government Transparency Code 2015:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-transparency-code-2015
The code sets out the minimum data (a number of key datasets), that local authorities should be publishing, the frequency it should be published and how it should be published, as well as recommended practice. It helps you to understand how the council is managed and what happens to the public money the council receives.
Information that meets the Town Council’s statutory obligations is published on this website, some below but also elsewhere on this website.
The Town Council’s approach to the effective and appropriate management of information is included within the documents below:
General Privacy for Staff, Councillors and Role Holders
General Privacy Notice for Members of the Public
Data Protection (GDPR) and Retention Policy
Public Participation in Council Meetings
Expenditure Exceeding £500
Local authorities must publish details of each individual item of expenditure that exceeds £500. This includes items of expenditure, consistent with Local Government Association guidance. This must be published quarterly.
Councillors receive information about every item of expenditure and payment is approved prior to the funds being released. This also includes information about allowances or expenses paid to Councillors. All payments made by the Town Council are reported on the minutes of the Town Council meetings.
Quarterly Statements of spending over £500 are listed below:
2019/2020: Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4.
2020/2021: Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4.
2021/2022: Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4.
2022/2023: Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4.
2023/2024: Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4.
2024/2025: Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3,
Government Procurement Card Transactions
Local authorities must publish details of every transaction on a Government Procurement Card. This must be published quarterly.
The Town Council does not use a government procurement card.
Grants to Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations
Publish details of all grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.
As part of its ongoing commitment to the local community and voluntary sector, the Town Council offers grants each financial year to support groups, activities and projects organised to benefit the people of Biddulph. Details of grants awarded can be found on the ‘Grant Awards Schemes’ webpage. The Town Council’s ‘Grants Policy’ is also published to this page.
Organisation Chart
Publish an organisation chart covering staff in the top three levels of the organisation. This must be published annually.
The Town Council employs 10 members of staff. Our full staff structure is detailed within this document Staff Structure. Further information can also be located in the ‘Pay Policy’ published to the ‘Our Policies’ webpage.
Trade Union Facility Time
This must be published annually.
The Town Council does not have any Trade Union representatives.
Procurement
Publish details of every invitation to tender for contract to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £5,000. Publish details of any contract, commissioned activity, purchase order, framework agreement and any other legally enforceable agreement with a value that exceeds £5,000. This must be published quarterly.
Contracts are procured in line with the Town Council’s ‘Financial Regulations’ (published to the ‘Our Policies’ webpage). We comply with ‘The Public Contracts Regulations 2015’, which requires the use of the Contracts Finder website to advertise contract opportunities, set out the procedures to be followed in awarding new contracts and publicise the award of new contracts where the value is £30,000 or more. All contracts are approved by the appropriate Committee.
Information can be found here: Procurement information
Council Land and Assets
Local authorities must publish details of all land and building assets. This must be published annually.
This information can be found here: Local Council Land and Assets.
Social Housing Asset Value
Local authorities must publish details on the value of social housing assets within local authorities Housing Revenue Account. This must be published annually.
The Town Council does not hold any Social Housing Assets.
Parking Account
Local authorities must publish on their website, or place a link on their website to this data if published elsewhere: a breakdown of income and expenditure on the authority’s parking account, and a breakdown of how the authority has spent a surplus on its parking account. This must be published annually.
The Town Council does not have any chargeable parking.
Parking Spaces
Local authorities must publish the number of marked out controlled on and off-street parking spaces within their area, or an estimate of the number of spaces where controlled parking space is not marked out in individual parking bays or spaces. This must be published annually.
The Town Council does not control any parking in Biddulph.
Senior Salaries and Pay Multiple
The Town Council is required to publish details of any senior employees earning over £50,000 per annum. In addition the Council is required to provide a list of responsibilities (eg the services and functions they are responsible for, budget held and number of staff). This must be published annually.
Publish the pay multiple on their website defined as the ratio between the highest taxable earnings for the given year (including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind) and the median earnings figure of the whole of the authority’s workforce. This must be published annually.
Information can be found in the Town Council’s ‘Pay Policy’, published to the ‘Our Policies’ webpage.
The Chief Officer and Responsible Financial Officer’s principal areas of responsibility are:
- Strategic leadership of the Town Council, working with members, staff, partners and other tiers of local government to develop a clear vision and long term aims for the Town and the Town Council.
- Management of service performance, ensuring targets are achieved and contributing to the delivery of Town Council approved priorities (10 members of staff and 22 elected Councillors).
- Lead work with key partners ensuring delivery of agreed objectives and targets.
- Management of contract letting for all capital and revenue contracts and tenders, achieving best value.
- Monitoring of all revenue and capital budgets for the Town Council, working with the Finance Officer, to achieve the financial objectives set by the Council.
- Identify and develop business opportunities
- Provide advice to the Mayor and Town Councillors on matters of civic protocol, statutory powers and public affairs generally.
- Oversee the arrangements of town events and festivals, including civic ceremonial events.
Fraud
Information can be found in the Town Council’s ‘Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy’, published to the ‘Our Policies’ webpage.
Waste Contracts
Local authorities must publish details of their existing waste collection contracts at the point they first publish quarterly contract information. This is a one-off publication.
This information can be found in ‘Procurement Information’ above.
Constitution
Local authorities must publish their Constitution on their website. This must be published annually.
Local Councils are not required by law to adopt a constitution. However, they need to adopt Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and other governing documents such as a ‘Code of Conduct for Members’ and a ‘Publication Scheme & Guidance’. Details can be found on this page above, and on the ‘Meetings’ and ‘Our Policies’ webpages. These are reviewed annually.
Please contact office@biddulph-tc.gov.uk or 01782 498480 for further details or help to access this information.