Overview
We are committed to open government and transparency, encouraging local people and businesses to see what decisions are being made that may affect:
- them
- their families
- their community
This means we believe it is important to provide as much information about these decisions as possible. One way we do this is by publishing a Forward Plan.
About the Forward Plan
The Forward Plan sets out information about key decisions the council will make:
- at the next cabinet meeting
- at other bodies/meetings
- as a single person such as the Leader, a Cabinet member or a delegated officer
The list includes all the key decisions we expect to take and gives at least 28 days notice of them, in advance of the decision. By law, councils must publish these in a monthly Forward Plan. This makes the public aware of important matters coming up.
The Forward Plan lists the key decisions to be taken by the Cabinet, Cabinet Sub-Groups (like the Shareholders Committee), the Leader and Cabinet Members, and occasionally by officers using powers delegated to them by councillors.
Although there is no legal requirement to do so, we also list important non-key decisions that will be taken by the Cabinet and by the Council. This is part of our commitment to transparency and public accountability.
It may also list key decisions that are expected to be taken further in the future. This is when we know that a key decision is already planned for a Cabinet meeting after the next one.
Key decisions
Our definition for a “key decision’ is a Cabinet (or Cabinet level) decision that:
- is likely to result in us incurring expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are, significant in regard to the budget for the related service or function
- is likely to be significant in terms of its effect on communities living or working in an area of two or more wards in the borough
Significant expenditure or making of savings is an amount of more than either:
- £1 million for capital expenditure
- £500,000 for revenue expenditure
- 50% of the budget attributable to the relevant service if this is less than those amounts
Information in the plan
For each key decision, the plan includes as much information as is available when it is published. Each entry will usually include:
- the title or subject matter of the report and any reference number it has been given
- the officer and Lead Cabinet Member contact details
- the name of the decision-making body/person
- the documents that will be made available to the decision maker and details of any consultation that is likely to be involved
- the date when the decision will be taken, where this is known
- an indication of whether or not the decision includes information that is exempt from publication and public discussion
Copies of documents
You can request copies of documents referred to in the Forward Plan when they're published.
You should quote the report title as it appears on the plan when making a request.
- email: thomas.ribbits@hounslow.gov.uk.
Please note that prior to the decision being made, it is possible that other documents to those listed in the plan may be submitted to the decision maker for consideration.
To request these documents, you should make it clear that you are requesting any other documents that have been submitted, as opposed to any actually listed in the plan.
Exempt information
Occasionally a report or part of a report may contain information that is exempt under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended. This means that the report or part of a report may not be made public.
Where this is the case, the item in the plan will make this clear in the section titled 'Exempt information’. There are seven possible reasons why information may be exempt from publication:
- Information relating to an individual.
- Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
- Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the council).
- Information relating to any consultations or negotiations in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the council or Minister of the crown and employees of or office holders of the council.
- Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.
- Information which reveals we propose to give a notice under any enactment by or under which requirements are imposed on a person, or to make an order or direction under any enactment.
- Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.
Please note that where a report or part of it is exempt, the public will not have access to it nor will any debate relating to it take place in the presence of members of the public or the media.
Making representations about private meetings
Members of the public are entitled to make representations as to why a particular decision should be held in public.
You need to send your representation a minimum of ten clear working days before the decision date set out in the Forward Plan.
Where it is determined that a meeting or part of a meeting will take place in private despite representations received, we will publish a notice indicating this. This notice will be published with the meeting agenda and public reports on our website and will set out:
- a statement of the reasons why the meeting will be held in private
- details of the representations received and a statement in response
