Guidance issued on elected members accessing information

The document, Access to Information for Elected Members, covers:

• Purpose of the guide
• Introduction
• What information is available?
• How councils manage information
• Accessing documents, or accessing information?
• Making requests
• What officers can be do

The guide was produced using government funding and applies to England only. It can be viewed here.

CfGS Deputy Chief Executive Ed Hammond said: “These vital rights are important for councillors to understand (and for councils to act on). Just as important, though, is the need to be able to use information once you have it.”

In a blog, Hammond provides advice on that second issue, covering:

• How to use information in general
• How to use management information 
• Why you should avoid bringing management information directly to committee
• To hold a watching brief over service delivery
• To set the scrutiny work programme
• To frame questioning, in committee and in task and finish groups 
• To formulate recommendations 

The blog can be read here.