Should budget details be published on the Parish website?

Question

When our budget details were discussed at full council, each councillor was given a detailed breakdown of spending. A parishioner has asked how much was budgeted for a specific project. Should this information be confidential or be available to all? As i have the answer should I inform the Parishioner directly?

Answer 1

The information should NOT be confidential it should be available to all by default.   Town and Parish Councils have to justify  the exclusion of any of their information  by reference to Schedule 12 of the Loc Gov Act 1972 and resolve that it is confidential or exempt.

I think you would be a backward Luddite council not to publish it on the website.   Even if it isn't there people could ask for it under the Freedom of Information Act in an electronic format..

Your publication scheme should  stipulate what is on the Council website.  If  it says the budget is published on the websites not having on would be a breach of the Freedom of Information Act.

See https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1153/model-publication-scheme.pdf