Freedom of Information
City
College BirminghamPublication Scheme Part One
Introduction
1. 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.
2. What is a publication scheme?
2.1 A publication scheme is a document which 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.2.2 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.
3. The 'model' publication scheme for Further Education
3.1 City College Birmingham has adopted the model publication scheme developed for the Further Education sector and is therefore committed to publishing the information it describes.
3.2 This model is designed for Further Education colleges 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.
3.3 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 (Joint Information Systems Committee) website.
4. Who we are
City College Birmingham has been in existence since 1 August 1998. The college followed the long tradition of its founding colleges in prioritising widening participation, and recruits high percentages of students from the inner-city neighbourhoods of Birmingham. The college also serves disadvantaged groups and individuals, such as mental health service users, homeless people and asylum seekers. City College is spread over 22 centres in Birmingham and we work on other people's premises as well.The college works within specific neighbourhoods of Birmingham, widening participation in learning to young people and adults who may have faced barriers in the past. Our heartland neighbourhoods stretch from Handsworth in the west, through Aston, Nechells and Small Heath to Shard End in the east. The provision includes substantial entry level, skills for life and ESOL programmes, but we also offer broad vocational programmes. Programmes are planned in collaboration with local partner organisations, and where appropriate offered in women-only or other community-based facilities to meet the needs of specific groups. We also work with local schools, a range of private industries but in the main the electrical, engineering and motor vehicle industries, colleges and universities, and a number of community partners.
5. Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
5.1 The classes of information we publish are described in the second part of the scheme.
5.2 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.
5.3 To request information available through our publication scheme,
please contact:
Hanna Myles
Head of Campus
City College Birmingham
Fordrough Campus
300 Bordesley Green
Birmingham
B9 5NA
0121 204 0000
5.4 Please note that a publication scheme relates to 'published' information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.
6. What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
6.1 From 1 January 2005 you will have the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information held by a public authority, which it has not already made available through its publication scheme.
6.2 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.
7. Feedback
7.1 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:
Hanna Myles
Head of Campus
City College Birmingham
Fordrough Campus
300 Bordesley Green
Birmingham
B9 5NA
0121 204 0000
7.2 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
8. Further information
More information about the Freedom of Information Act is available on the Information Commissioner's website at:
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
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:
Information
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