Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Corporate Services

RESOLVED THAT

1.    A Transparency Policy statement be approved

2.    An amendment be approved to the description of one of the Council’s Core Values so that it will align to the Policy Statement.

3.    An approach that will lead to the publication of all mandatory data to a minimum 3 star format be approved.

The Cabinet Member Corporate Services introduced the report which sought Cabinet approval of a new Local Government Transparency Code which was mandatory on all local authorities from October 2014 and which identified what information must be published quarterly before 31 December 2014 and annually no later than 2 February 2015.

The Cabinet Member highlighted that the aim of the code was to ensure citizens have improved access to data from major public service providers in order to strengthen people's trust in government and encourage greater public participation in decision making. He said that fortunately CBC, as evidenced by the recent LGA peer review, had maintained a principal of full and open transparency - a philosophy that could be seen to be working with all relevant information readily obtainable from the website. He reported that CBC would conform to the government's timetable for publication data in three star format, then would strive to attain four star standard as soon as possible.

The Cabinet Member explained that with the mandatory status there were additional detailed requirements and highlighted the following :

1) publication of a list of property assets - including buildings and car parks – (with no current requirement for valuations)

and

2) publication of a list of contracts and tenders exceeding £5000 - this figure represents a lower threshold than the previous £10000'

Members supported the approval of the Transparency Policy statement.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    A Transparency Policy statement be approved.

2.    An amendment be approved to the description of one of the Council’s Core Values so that it will align to the Policy Statement.

3.    An approach that will lead to the publication of all mandatory data to a minimum 3 star format be approved.