Freedom of Information
RIVERSIDE INVERCLYDE – FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002
PUBLICATION SCHEME
This scheme is required by section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Under this Act Riverside Inverclyde as a public body is required to specify:
The classes of information it publishes or intends to publish:
How information is published; and
Whether the information is available free of charge or on payment of a fee.
This scheme has been designed to be as inclusive as possible and it is intended to be flexible to allow for future expansion and/or revision of the scheme. The Chief Executive of Riverside Inverclyde has overall responsibility for this publication scheme. Contact details are provided in section 6 of this document.
1. About Riverside Inverclyde
Riverside Inverclyde is a joint initiative between SE Renfrewshire; Inverclyde Council; Communities Scotland, Clydeport and the wider private and voluntary sector. The public/private partnership has been designed to secure the long term economic growth and prosperity of the area. It has a twin track approach of “going for growth” through the exploitation of existing and new opportunities and “spreading the benefits of growth” for the benefit of the local residential and business community alike. The URC's primary objective relates to the “growth agenda” but it will work with other local and national agencies to spread the benefits of this growth across the wider area of Inverclyde.
Riverside Inverclyde's area of operation is defined as “areas of economic and social deprivation in Inverclyde”. The focus of its physical interventions is the waterfront areas of Greenock and Port Glasgow but its sphere of influence extends to the whole of Inverclyde, spreading the economic benefit of change and working with local and national partners to deliver emerging projects in neighbouring areas.
The role of Riverside Inverclyde in addressing the regeneration challenges and intervention priorities is specified through its vision and associated objectives and activities.
The vision for Riverside Inverclyde is to:
”Enhance the competitiveness of Inverclyde as a place to live, work, visit, invest and do business in”
This vision with be achieved directly through the following objectives and associated activities:
1Accelerating the pace of physical regeneration to provide regionally competitive locations for new businesses and homes.
This will be achieved through specific actions to:
Provide a development framework and masterplan for the area's comprehensive
regeneration;
Assemble sites for development;
Remove physical constraints to the development of priority sites;
Provide gap funding to deliver appropriate activity in partnership with others; and
Enhance image and perception through investment in place making along
transport corridors and at high profile development locations.
And, in partnership with others, by
2 Facilitating economic restructuring
This will be achieved through actions to:
Meet the requirements of existing and new business;
Improve business start-up, growth and survival rates; and
Provide relevant skills and improve employability.
3 Providing widespread access to the opportunities created
This will be achieved through actions to:
Integrate new developments to the existing town centres;
Provide a mix of housing types and tenures within new developments and
explore shared ownership arrangements; and
Deliver access to employment initiatives.
4Integrating Inverclyde with the regional economy
This will be achieved through actions to:
Improve the access from the area to the regional transportation network; and
Communicate regeneration achievements and opportunities to audiences outside
the area in order to stimulate wider investment.
Together these activities will address the failures identified in the market analysis, releasing derelict land for economic after use and providing for up to 35,000 m2 of business space and 2,500 new homes. These development outputs will generate economic outcomes in the form of employment and GVA and will contribute to the stabilisation of the area's population by accommodating new residents.
The optimal scale, form and location of this development will be identified through a process of option appraisal conducted using criteria which maximise benefits and value for money from Riverside Inverclyde and partner investment.
2. How to access information from this scheme
Information included in the Riverside Inverclyde publication scheme will generally be available from our website at www.riversideinverclyde.com. Where the information is only available electronically this is indicated.
Riverside Inverclyde is committed to upholding every person's right to seek information to help understand its work and is committed to ensuring that access is available to all equalities and disadvantaged groups. Our publications can be made available in large print, Braille and community languages on request.
For those without access to our website or those wishing to make a request for information in paper form Riverside Inverclyde can be contacted at the following address:
2-6 Custom House Way
GREENOCK
PA15 1EN
3. Charging policy
Information on our website will be available free of charge (that is, there is no charge by us, although the user would of course have to meet any charges made by their internet provider and personal printing costs).
For those without access to the website a single printout from the website or a hardcopy of a document can be requested and will be provided free of charge.
Requests for multiple printouts of material on the website or for multiple hard copies may attract a charge for the cost of printing, photocopying, postage etc.. Photocopying will not exceed £1 per 10 pages.
Although we will normally provide a single copy free of charge we may also charge where a substantial number of multiple documents are required to respond to a request. Printing and photocopying will also not exceed £1 per 10 pages.
If charges are to be made you will be told at the time of your request and these would be payable in advance.
4. Copyright statement
The material listed in this publication scheme is covered by copyright unless stated otherwise. The supply of documents under Freedom of Information does not give the person or organisation who receives them an automatic right to re-use documents, for example by making multiple copies, publishing and issuing copies to the public. Such re-use is subject to permission given, usually in the form of a copyright licence, by copyright holder.
5. Classes of information
Listed below are the classes of information which Riverside Inverclyde publishes or intends to publish. All information listed under these classes are (except where indicated) available on request.
Information published for external audiences
newsletters
annual reports
news releases
information leaflets including factsheets and event flyers
Corporate publications
Business Plan
Annual report and accounts
Board of Directors information
Our Board minutes can be made available on request.
Exemptions
Information may be withheld from any of the classes of information listed below where: we consider that disclosure may seriously prejudice law enforcement, legal proceedings; or where the disclosure is otherwise prohibited by law. We may also withhold information if its disclosure would breach the law of confidentiality or seriously prejudice the commercial interest of any persons or organisations. We may also withhold information which is personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998.
In these cases, we will withhold the information and indicate why the information is being withheld. If you wish to complain about information which is being withheld from you, please read the Contacts, feedback and complaints section.
6. Contacts, feedback and complaints
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 requires public authorities not only to maintain a publication scheme approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner but also from time to time to review the scheme. As part of this process we would be glad to receive any comments or suggestions on the publication scheme and in particular comments from users on their experiences in obtaining information from the Scheme. Comments or suggestions for particular classes of information to which we might in future commit to publishing under the scheme would also be welcomed.
Comments or complaints should be addressed to the person responsible for maintaining the Riverside Inverclyde publication scheme:
If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Scottish Information Commissioner. On 1 January 2005, the general right of access came into force along with a formal appeal mechanism for when information is withheld. Further details about this are available on the Commissioner's website at www.itspublicknowledge.info/. The Commissioner's contact details are as follows:
The Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
FIFE KY16 9DS
Tel: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464511
Email: enquiries@itspublicknowledge.info
Overall responsibility for Riverside Inverclyde's publication scheme lies with the Chief Executive, Bill Nicol. He can be contacted at the following address:
2-6 Custom House Way
GREENOCK
PA15 1EN