Freedom of Information & Publication Scheme

Freedom of Information & Publication Scheme

Adopted by Darwen Town Council — reviewed annually.
Last reviewed: May 2026. Next review due: May 2027.

Our duty under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) places a legal duty on every public authority to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Darwen Town Council has adopted the ICO Model Publication Scheme, which meets this requirement.

Classes of information we routinely publish

Our Publication Scheme is organised into seven classes of information:

Class 1 — Who we are and what we do

  • Council membership, councillor names, ward information and contact routes
  • The Council’s constitution, powers and responsibilities
  • Contact details for the Council Clerk
  • Information about public meetings

View our councillors → | Contact us →

Class 2 — What we spend and how we spend it

  • Annual precept (currently £122,000 for 2025/26)
  • Annual accounts and financial statements
  • Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR)
  • External audit reports
  • Budget information and financial regulations

View financial and audit documents →

Class 3 — What our priorities are and how we are doing

  • Council meeting minutes (full Council and committees)
  • Meeting agendas
  • Information about community projects and grants awarded

View meeting minutes and agendas →

Class 4 — How we make decisions

  • Agendas for all public Council meetings (published in advance)
  • Minutes recording decisions made at each meeting
  • Standing Orders governing how the Council operates

Class 5 — Our policies and procedures

Class 6 — Lists and registers

  • Register of Members’ Interests (available on request)
  • Register of gifts and hospitality
  • Asset register

Class 7 — The services we offer

  • Information about community initiatives and events
  • Community grants and awards scheme
  • Public access to Council meetings (first 15 minutes of each meeting open to public questions)

How to access information

Much of this information is published on this website. Where it is not available online, you can request it from the Council Clerk:

There is no charge for most information. We may apply a charge for photocopying and postage costs where documents are requested in hard copy.

Making a formal Freedom of Information request

If the information you require is not published here, you may make a formal FOI request. Your request must:

  • Be made in writing (email is acceptable)
  • State your name and an address for correspondence
  • Describe clearly the information you are seeking

We will respond within 20 working days of receiving your written request, as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please send FOI requests to: info@darwentowncouncil.gov.uk

What if I am not satisfied with the response?

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may request an internal review. If you remain dissatisfied after the internal review, you may complain directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Transparency Code compliance

Darwen Town Council takes its transparency obligations seriously. Our compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code is tested by our internal auditor annually. All required financial and governance documents are published on our Council Documents page.