Publication Scheme and access to information

Bedford Borough Council became a Unitary Authority on 1 April 2009, and provides a vast range of services for more than 185,000 residents.

Council Constitution

• The Council's Constitution

Council democratic structure

• Information about the functioning and process of meetings (Council meetings, executive and other Committees)
• Information about decision making
• Information about scrutiny

Council directorate structure

• For further information about the various directorate areas within the Council: Senior Management Structure – all can be contacted by email memberservices@bedford.gov.uk.

Location and opening times of Council properties

Information about locations, opening times and contact details of all the Council’s centres/buildings, which are there to enable the public to access Council services.

• Bedford Borough Hub (formally the Customer Service Centre)
• The Higgins Bedford
• Bedford Corn Exchange

Information regarding registrar of births, marriages and deaths

• Registering births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths

Currently elected Councillors’ information and contact details

• Currently elected councillors (including party, membership of committees, address, telephone number and email contact)

Contact details for customer-facing departments

• How to contact the Council

Most recent election results

• Election results indicating the political composition of the Council

Relationships with other authorities/organisations

Information about:

• Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service
• Bedfordshire Police
• Central Bedfordshire Council
• Luton Borough Council
• Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
• Parish Council contacts
• The Registration service

Financial Statements, budgets and variance reports

• The Council's Statement of Accounts

Capital Programme

• Capital Investment Strategy - including the Corporate Asset Plan
• Supplier payments

Spending reviews

• The Council's Statement of Accounts and Committee Reports

Financial audit reports

• For example, Annual Governance Reports

The Members’ Allowances Scheme and the allowances paid under it to Councillors each year

• Members’ Allowances Scheme
• Members' Allowances 2009 onwards

For example allowances members are allowed to claim and for further information regarding the amount each member received in expenses please contact Member Services email memberservices@bedford.gov.uk.

Staff allowances and expenses

• Mileage, accommodation, subsistence rates that can be claimed by staff. Information can be found in the Pay Policy document on our Transparency page.

Pay and grading structure

• Chief Officer grades is available in the Organisation chart on our Transparency page.
• Pay policy including remuneration for senior employees

Details of contracts currently being tendered

• Procurement policies and guidance
• General conditions of purchase

List of contracts awarded and their value

• Contracts awarded under the Public Contract Regulations 2006 as published in The Official Journal of the European Union
• Procurement and contracts register

District Auditor’s reports

• For example within Annual Governance Reports.

Financial statements for projects and events

• The Council's Statement of Accounts

For the former Bedfordshire County Council’s Statement of Accounts – email memberservices@bedford.gov.uk.

School spending

• Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) standardises, simplifies and streamlines the reporting of school finances in all local authority (LA) maintained schools in England. View Bedford Borough Maintained Schools spending from 2009 onwards.

Election expenses

• Police and Crime Commissioner Election May 2016
• European Elections 2014

Internal financial regulations

• Financial regulations under the Council’s Standing Orders, as contained in The Council's Constitution

Annual Reports

• The Council's Scrutiny Annual Report
• Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Reports
• Corporate Plan
• Budget and Capital Programme

Strategies and business plans for services provided by the Council

• Strategies, business and service plan for directorates, departments and services including the Corporate Plan
• Strategies, plans and research
• Performance

Internal and external organisation performance reviews

• Performance information including, for example, Comprehensive Performance Assessment, The Corporate Plan and Service Plans: performance improvement plans for departments.
• Audit Committee Information

Strategies developed in partnership with other authorities

• Housing Strategy
• Homelessness Strategy
• Consultation Strategy
• Key Plans and Strategies

Timetable of Council meetings

• Committee dates for the current year

Agendas, Officers’ Reports, background papers and minutes of Council Committee, Sub-Committee and Standing Forum meetings.

• Public information on the Council’s decision recording system. - The Council's Constitution

Major policy proposals and decisions

• Information on major policy proposals and decisions (including facts and analyses of facts considered when framing major polices) can be found in the Executive Decisions Database.

Public consultations

Consultation papers or information, any summary of the responses and the outcome of the Consultation exercise.

• Consultations.

Policies and procedures for conducting Council business

• The Council's Constitution

Policies and procedures for delivering our services

• Key Plans and Strategies and Equality and diversity

Policies and procedures about the recruitment and employment of staff

• For example employment information and current vacancies and Equality and Diversity.