About your Council

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

We participate in the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative: a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching for each exercise..

The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice.

View further information on the Cabinet Office's legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information.

For further information on data matching at this authority please call us on 01905 722051.

Worcester City Council receives regular requests of a similar nature for specific information. Some of this information we are already obliged to make available under relevant legislation, however there is other data that we choose to publish in order to aid requestors by providing instant access to the information

The following information and datasets are those which we receive the most frequent requests for:

• Business Rates Datasets for properties within Worcester City, including:
  • All business properties in Worcester City
  • Empty Properties
  • Properties receiving Charitable or Rural Rate Relief
  • Properties receiving Small Business Rate Relief
  • Properties receiving Retail Relief
  • New accounts in the previous 3 months
  • Accounts with credit balances
• Licensing Public Registers including:
  • Driver Licences
  • Vehicle Licences
  • Riding Establishment Licences
  • Sex Establishment Licences
• Planning Application List – access to all current and historic planning applications received by Worcester City Council since 1947.
• Contracts – a register of all contracts awarded by Worcester City Council that exceed a contract value of £5,000.
• Expenditure – publication of all individual payments over £250 made by Worcester City Council to suppliers.
• HMO Register – the Register of Houses in Multiple Occupation licensed under Worcester City Council's Licensing Scheme.

We also receive regular requests for information that is not held by Worcester City Council. Please find below the details of those organisations that may be better placed to provide the information you are seeking:

• Council/Social Housing in Worcester – Worcester City Council does not own any housing stock. All housing stock was transferred to Worcester Community Housing in 2004. Worcester Community Housing are now called Platform Housing. They can be contacted via the Platform Housing website.
• Tower Blocks in Worcester – Worcester City Council does not own or have responsibility for any tower blocks. Please contact Fortis Living for information regarding the tower blocks in Worcester.
• Trading Standards
• West Mercia Police – We receive regular requests for information that is more likely to be held by West Mercia Police, whose contact details are:
  
  West Mercia Police Headquarters
  Information Compliance Unit
  PO Box 55
  Worcester
  WR3 8SP
  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Requests for Information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, or the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)

You can submit a request for information to us which we will consider under the FOI Act (2000) or the EIR (2004), depending on the nature of the information you are requesting. In most cases we will provide the information to you within 20 working days.

The EIR covers information that details effects on the environment or measures to affect or mitigate. This includes information relating to air, water, soil, landscapes, energy, noise, waste and emissions. The FOI act covers all recorded information not covered by the EIR, except for personal information. Recorded information could be printed documents, computer files, letters, emails, photographs, or audio and video recordings.

There are instances where we will not be able to disclose all or some of the information you have requested, for example where:

• We do not hold the information
• We already publish the information, or plan to do so in the future
• The cost of providing the information would exceed £450
• The information requested contains the personal data of one or more individuals (other than yourself)
• The request is vexatious or a repeat of a previous request
• Another exemption from the relevant legislation applies. Please see the ICO website for guidance on making requests and for information on the different exemptions to the FOI and EIR acts.

If you can not find the information you are seeking on our website, and you believe that the information is held by Worcester City Council, please submit an information request.

Alternatively, you can write to us with your request at the following address:

Corporate Policy and Strategy Team
Worcester City Council
The Guildhall
High Street
Worcester
WR1 2EY

We will deal with your request as soon as we can, and in accordance with the legislation will normally respond to you within 20 working days. If responding to your request will take longer than this, we will contact you to keep you updated.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted no later than two months from the date of our response to your original request. To request an internal review, please write to us at the above address.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Publication Scheme

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Worcester City Council is required to increase access to the information it holds, and part of the Act requires the provision of a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a description of the kinds of information that a public authority should make routinely available.

The Information Commissioner's Office has prepared and approved a model publication scheme on which Worcester City Council's Publication Scheme is based. It includes details on the following areas:

• Who we are and what we do
• What we spend and how we spend it
• The services we offer
• What our priorities are and how we are doing
• How we make decisions
• Our policies and procedures
• Lists and registers

Access the full publication scheme.

Local Government Transparency Code

To promote openness and transparency, The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has issued the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 to meet the Government's desire to place more power into citizens' hands to increase democratic accountability and make it easier for local people to contribute to the local decision making process and help shape public services.

The information we publish under the transparency code includes:

• Expenditure and procurement
• Property
• Grants
• Fraud
• Organisation Information

Access the information published in accordance with the Local Government Transparency Code

Fair Processing Notice

National Fraud Initiative – Fair Processing Notice (Cabinet Office)

This authority is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for; auditing, or administering public funds, or where undertaking a public function, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

We participate in the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative: a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching for each exercise..

The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice.

View further information on the Cabinet Office's legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information.

For further information on data matching at this authority please call us on 01905 722051.

Commonly Requested Information and Submitting a Request

Worcester City Council receives regular requests of a similar nature for specific information. Some of this information we are already obliged to make available under relevant legislation, however there is other data that we choose to publish in order to aid requestors by providing instant access to the information. 

We receive numerous requests for information for the following items, and so have pulled together links to the relevant datasets, lists and registers in our ‘Commonly Requested Information’ pages. This information includes:

• Business Rates Datasets
• Expenditure over £250
• Contracts Register
• Licencing Public Registers
• Planning Applications
• HMO Register
• Council/Social Housing
• Tower Blocks

Find out about any of the above, or submit a request for information

Worcester City Council provides essential services for over 95,000 residents. Working with the local community we aim to create a prosperous city and to improve the quality of life for everyone. Providing accessible, efficient and best value services is at the heart of everything we do. We are constantly striving to meet the demands and expectations of our citizens and customers.

Worcester is a District Council, this means that some of the services are provided by the City Council and others by Worcestershire County Council. As a general guide:

The City Council provide:

Bereavement ServicesBusiness rate collectionCommunity DevelopmentCouncil TaxCouncil tax support and housing benefitsEnvironmental HealthHousing ServicesCouncil jobs & careersLeisure, sports, parks and museum servicesLicensingParking ServicesPlanning and building controlRecycling & Waste collectionsStreet care and cleaningSustainability

The County Council provide:

Schools and educationSocial ServicesStrategic PlanningHighways & RoadsLibrariesTrading standards

Our Councillors

There are 35 councillors in total, from 16 wards in the city.  Each one is elected for a term of four years. Together they decide the Council's priorities via committees and sub-committees, and how it should carry out its work.

View Councillor details...

Our Mayor

The Mayor is the Civic Head of the Council. The Mayor chairs meetings of the full council and represents the city at ceremonial occasions. He or She also welcomes international visitors and attends events organised by local people.

Our Workforce

Approximately 300 people work for the Council which makes it one of the largest employers in the city. They put into practice the decisions which the Councillors make and deliver the day to day services which city residents and visitors enjoy.