UWIC COMPANY LTD
PUBLICATION SCHEME
INTRODUCTION
1Legal requirement
1.1The Freedom of Information Act 2000 received Royal Assent on 30 November 2000. It promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by giving a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by ‘public authorities’, subject to exemptions.
1.2‘Public authorities’ are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges. ‘Publicly-owned companies’, which are wholly owned by a public authority, also fall within the definition of a public authority.
1.3The Act requires all public authorities to make information available proactively, by adopting and maintaining a publication scheme. A publication scheme is intended to encourage organisations to develop a greater culture of openness and to make more information available to the public. A scheme should ensure that certain information is easily and routinely available.
2What is a publication scheme?
2.1A 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.
2.2A 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.
2.3The UWIC Company Ltd Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme is available as a paper copy and electronically on our website (
3Who we are
This publication scheme is operated by UWIC Company Ltd, which is a company wholly owned by CardiffMetropolitan University Higher Education Corporation.
UWIC Company Limited was incorporated in 1991. It acts as a vehicle for protecting the charitable status of Cardiff Metropolitan University, by which it is wholly owned.
Cardiff Metropolitan University has its own publication scheme, which is available electronically at:
or can be requested as a paper copy from:
Secretariat Unit
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Central AdministrationM Block
Llandaff Campus
Western Avenue
Cardiff
CF5 2YB
029 2041 6076
4About this publication scheme
4.1This publication scheme is a ‘bespoke’ scheme and has been produced by Cardiff Metropolitan University on behalf of UWIC Company Ltd.
4.2This publication scheme contains information in 4 main groups of classes of information:
1Legal Framework
2Organisation
3Financial Resources
4Activities
No one single section has a higher status than another.
4.3In determining which classes of information to include in the scheme we have considered:
- The public interest in allowing access to information
- The public interest in publishing the reasons for decisions
- Specific areas of interest and any questions that have previously been asked
- Information that is already available
4.4The publication scheme has been designed to exclude information that is exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or for which an exemption could be claimed.
4.5The columns used in the publication scheme are as follows:
Class Number / Class Name / DescriptionThe number of the class / The name of the class / A description of the information
Some classes also include a brief statement at the beginning describing the type of information that falls within the class
How the information is published
5Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
5.1The classes of information we publish are described in the second part of the scheme. It should be noted that the information contained in the scheme relates to the current or most recent version only, or to that for the current academic year, unless stated otherwise. Minutes of meetings will generally only be available after they have been approved at the following meeting.
5.2Some of the information available through the publication scheme may contain information which is exempt. If the information is to be supplied in an edited version in order to remove this exempt information, or if it may be edited before being supplied, this is indicated in the scheme. As far as possible we will indicate what information has been exempted and why. Information about individuals or information which could prejudice commercial interests may be exempted, for example. We will always confirm when supplying information if it has been edited or not.
5.3In each class we have indicated the manner in which the information described will be available.
5.4Wherever possible, information is supplied free of charge via the web. Information that is indicated as being available on our website can also be supplied as a paper copy.
5.5Information that is only available as a paper copy, or that is requested as a paper copy, will be supplied at a cost of 10p per A4 sheet, although we will consider waiving this charge for small amounts of information. Any cost will be notified to the requestor in advance.
5.6To request information available through this publication scheme, please contact:
Mr D Llewellyn
Deputy Director of Finance
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Central Administration
M Block
Llandaff Campus
Western Avenue
Cardiff
CF5 2YB
5.7Please note that a publication scheme relates to ‘published’ information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.
5.8Material will be supplied in the language of origin (normally English). Certain materials may be supplied in Welsh at no additional charge provided that they are already published in Welsh under Cardiff Met’s Welsh Language Scheme.
5.9Material will be supplied in alternative formats (eg tape, large print) at the same cost as the paper version.
6What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
6.1From 1 January 2005 you 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.
6.2Requests will have to be made in writing and, in general, public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. Any person who makes a request has the right to be informed whether the public authority holds the information and, subject to exemptions, to be supplied with that information. In responding to a request public authorities may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. Although they will not be required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies, they 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.
7Feedback
7.1It is important that this publication scheme meets your needs. If you find the scheme difficult to understand, possibly because it uses jargon or assumes that you have some specialist knowledge, please let us know. This scheme will be reviewed annually, so we would welcome suggestions as to how our scheme might be improved. Any questions,comments or complaints about this scheme, or about how a request was handled should be sent in writing to:
Siân Newton
Freedom of Information Officer
Secretariat Unit
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Central Administration
M Block
Llandaff Campus
Western Avenue
Cardiff
CF5 2YB
029 2041 6076
Complaints will be handled in accordance with the Cardiff Met Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations Complaints Procedure, which is available on our website:
or from the Secretariat Unit.
7.2If 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’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
8Further information
More information about the Freedom of Information Act is available on the Information Commissioner’s website at:
Information about the Act and about how Cardiff Met is complying with the Act is available on our website:
This information includes a full guide to fees and information on how to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act or the Environmental Information Regulations.
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:
Groups of Classes of Information
1Legal Framework
Introduction
This section covers information relating to how the company was established and its standing from the point of view of the law, as well as informationit is legally obliged to make available.
Class / Description1.1 / Legal standing / UWIC Company Limited is a private limited company. It was incorporated in 1991 and is registered with Companies House.
Memorandum and Articles of Association
Hard copy
Also available from Companies House:
1.2 / Returns / This Class relates to the information that the company is legally obliged to make available.
Statutory Returns to Companies House
Hard copy
Also available from Companies House:
2Organisation
This section contains information relating to the organisational structure of the company and its activities.
Class / Description2.1 / Organisational structure / This Class relates to how the company is organised, including details of officers.
The company has an unpaid Board of Directors. It employs no staff.
The Board is nominated by the Cardiff Metropolitan University Board of Governors.
List of directors, including Chairman and Company Secretary
Hard copy
Also available from Companies House:
2.2 / Aims and objectives / This Class relates to the stated aims and objectives of the company.
Trading activities
General statement available from Companies House:
Activities – see Class 4.2
3Financial Resources
This section covers information on the financial policies and procedures of the company, including the accounts.
Class / Description3.1 / Financial regulations / The company operates in accordance with the financial policies and procedures of Cardiff Met, which are available through the publication scheme produced by Cardiff Met.
3.2 / Accounts / Annual accounts
Hard copy
Also submitted to Companies House:
4Activities
This section includes information about the work of the company. Some of the information in this section may be exempt if disclosing it would cause prejudice to commercial interests.
Class / Description4.1 / Decision making / This class relates to how decisions are made and the reasons behind them.
Strategic decisions are made at the Annual General Meeting.
Operational decisions are made by the Directors and will be reported to the Board as appropriate.
Annual General Meeting minutes – see Class 4.2
Directors Reports – see Class 4.3
4.2 / Minutes / This Class relates to how the work of the company is progressed.
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
Hard copy
4.3 / Activities / This Class relates to how the work of the company is recorded.
Report of the Directors
Hard copy