The Chorley Council Constitution sets out basis rules and principles which describe how the Council operates, how decisions are taken, and the procedures which ensure that decisions are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people.

The Constitution is made up of several documents, including Standing Orders, the Members Code of Conduct and the Members allowances scheme.

The Constitution of the Council is available here.

Everyone who works for Chorley Council uses personal data in the course of their duties. We must gather and process personal information about staff and customers in order to operate effectively. 

Our policy is to ensure that all personal data obtained, used or shared in the course of its business is handled properly and confidentially at all times. The Data Protection Policy sets out the commitment of Chorley Council in relation to the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 is available in the useful links section.

Chorley Council is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible f​or; 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, as detailed here.

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 2018.

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.

To view the Council's Fair Processing notice: National Fraud Initiative (NFI) Data Matching please click here​ 

For further information on data matching at this authority please Contact Us.

Any person can make a request under the Act - there are no restrictions on your age, nationality or where you live.

You can view guidance on how to make an Freedom of Information request on the Gov.uk website

You can make a request for information on the whatdotheyknow website  

You should make sure that you include: 
your name; 
an address where you can be contacted; and 
a description of the information that you want.

Please try to describe the information you want in as much detail as possible - for example "minutes of the meeting where the decision to do X was made" rather than "everything you have about X". This will help us find the exact information you need. Normally, we'll provide the information within 20 working days (around a month). If we need more time, we'll write to you and tell you when we will be able to answer your request, and why we need more time.

Business rates data
You can download business rates data reports. The reports outline business rates information for companies and organisations that we can disclose under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The reports are in csv format and include:

1. Business ratepayers that are newly liable

2. Property addresses 
    Current rateable values 
    The date the business became liable to pay business rates 
    Empty properties and the date they became empty 
    Premises that are in receipt of: 
    • mandatory relief 
    • retail relief 
    • small business rates relief

Chorley Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults, and to delivering services that promote good practice, and expects all Council representatives, colleagues and partners to share this commitment.

The policies set out the Councils commitment to addressing all safeguarding issues and ensuring that employees are aware of their responsibilities and that the appropriate agencies are engaging in providing a response to any concerns raised. It outlines what should be the response of a council representative if they encounter a safeguarding issue.

The Child Safeguarding and Adult Safeguarding Policies can be viewed under the 'download it' section.

Employers are required to have processes which enable employees to make a disclosure or “blow the whistle” concerning a wrongdoing which typically (though not necessarily) they have witnessed at work which is in the public interest, and not to suffer a detriment.

Chorley Council is committed to promoting an open, transparent and safe working environment where employees are able to speak up, and The Council’ Whistleblowing Policy promotes this ethos and provides protection to Chorley Council employees who may wish to raise relevant concerns.

The Whistleblowing Policy can be viewed under the 'download it' section.

Following the Ministry of Justice reforms July 2013, solicitors and claimant representatives should submit all personal injury claims (not exceeding £25,000) directly to our insurers via the claims portal.

If you are a solicitor or claimant representative please submit a claims notification form (CNF) directly to our insurer:

For Incidents occuring prior to and including the 31 December 2016:-
Zurich Municipal Insurance Company PLC
Policy No: QLA-07H066-0113
Portal ID: C00108 

For incidents occuring on or after 1 January 2017:-
Travelers Insurance company Ltd
Policy No: UCPOP 3993596
Portal ID: C00157

If the claim relates to an incident on a footpath or a road please contact Lancashire County Council which has responsibility for adopted highways.

If you are a member of the public wanting to make an insurance claim against the Council please call us on: 01772 625227 

The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) provide you with a right of access to a wide range of environmental information held by the council.

Environmental Information relates to:

1. The state of elements of the environment i.e. air, water, etc.
2. The state of human health and safety, conditions of human life, the food chain
3. Substances, energy, noise, radiation or waste affecting or likely to affect the state of the elements of environmental interaction between them
4. Administrative measures, policies, legislation, plans, programmes and environmental agreements
5. Emissions, discharges and other releases into the environment
6. Cost benefit and other economic analysis used in environmental decision making

How to make an EIR request
If the information is not available on the council’s website you can make a specific request for the information and the council must deal with it in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations.

Please put your request in writing to foi@chorley.gov.uk or alternatively you can make your request over the telephone. You must include:

1. your name
2. your address
3. the information you require in as much detail as you can offer

The timescale for responses is 20 working days. Please note the council can make reasonable charges for supplying information under EIR.

The council does not have to provide information which is already publicly available.

EIR exceptions
Information is not available if:

1. International relations, defence, national security or public safety are affected
2. The course of justice, the ability of a person to receive a fair trial or the ability of the authority to conduct an enquiry of a criminal or disciplinary nature are affected
3. Information provided would breach someone’s intellectual property rights
4. Information is commercially confidential
5. Information relates to the protection of the environment
6. Information is incomplete
7. Information relates to internal confidential documents
8. The request is so vague that we cannot tell you what you want and you refuse to be more specific
9. The request is unreasonable because of the time and resources that it would place on the authority