Welcome to the West Mercia Probation Area (WMPA) Publication Scheme.

Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, WMPA has undertaken to adopt and maintain a scheme for the publication of probation service information.

This publication scheme has been designed to help you find out how WMPA carries out its aims and objectives. As part of the National Probation Service, WMPA's purpose is to be a law enforcement agency that:

• delivers community punishments
  
  
• supervises and works with offenders within the terms set by the court or Parole Board in ways that help offenders to reduce their offending and that better protect the public
  
  
• gives support to the victims of serious crimes

Its aims are to:

• protect the public
  
  
• reduce re-offending
  
  
• ensure the proper punishment of offenders
  
  
• ensure offenders are aware of the effects of crime on victims and the public, and
  
  
• rehabilitate offenders

Purpose and structure of the scheme
The WMPA Publication Scheme provides a route map so you can find information held by WMPA quickly and easily.

The purpose of this publication scheme is to make information readily available before you need to ask for it.  The scheme specifies:

• the classes of information we publish or intend to publish
  
  
• the manner in which we publish or intend to publish information in each class and
  
  
• whether the material is or is intended to be available free of charge or on payment
  

Responsibility for the scheme
Julie Masters, Assistant Chief Officer within WMPA has overall responsibility for this publication scheme.  The Public Relations department is responsible for maintaining the publication scheme on a daily basis.  Contact details are:

Jackie Bell
Public Relations
West Mercia Probation Area
Head Office
90 Mill Street
Kidderminster  DY11 6XA
Tel: 01562 748375 

Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 creates a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities.  The 42 probation boards in England and Wales are public authorities under the Act. 

The Department for Constitutional Affairs leads on policy related to the Act and the Codes of Practice for public authorities on compliance and records management for which the Act provides. 

The Information Commissioner has a duty to promote best practice under the Act and to ensure compliance.  The address is

            The Information Commissioner
            Wycliffe House
            Water Lane
            Wilmslow  SK9 5AF

The Commissioner's website www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk carries useful guidance and reports, as well as information about the role of the Commissioner.

Subject to certain prescribed conditions and the exemptions set out in Sections 21 to 44 in Part II of the Act, the public have a statutory right:

• to be told whether WMPA holds information of the description specified in the request and, if so
• to have that information communicated to them

WMPA is committed to the principles of openness embodied in the Act and will release information to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the public interest.  The Board will also comply with the Codes of Practice issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs under Sections 45 and 46 of the Freedom of Information Act.

Copyright
The material available through the publication scheme may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading manner.  Where, exceptionally, information is included which is subject to copyright or there is a restriction on its use this will be indicated in the scheme and an application for a licence to reproduce the material concerned should be made to Jackie Bell (contact details above) who will consult the copyright holders concerned.

Obtaining documents and information under the publication scheme
West Mercia Probation Trust routinely places information on our website.  It is all freely available for downloading, if you have internet access.  Otherwise copies will be provided on request.  Other information published in accordance with this scheme, but not available electronically, will also be sent on request.

Charging
Information will be provided free of charge, except where:

• there is a substantial administrative cost in providing it - where this is the case we will provide details
  
  
• there is a cover charge indicated for a published document
  
  
• glossy or other bound paper copies, or in some cases a CD rom, video or other mediums, are provided.
  

No charge will be made for information carried on the web site. For those without internet access, a single print-out as on the website will be available by post from the request contact point shown above.

Complaints
If you have a complaint about the operation of the publication scheme or how WMPA has dealt with a request for information, you should write to Julie Masters, Assistant Chief Officer at West Mercia Probation Area, Head Office, 90 Mill Street, Kidderminster DY11 6XA. If you are unhappy with the outcome, or do not wish to discuss the matter with that officer, then you may contact the Chief Officer at the same address.

Review
West Mercia Probation Trust will review the publication scheme annually and will monitor it regularly.