You have the legal right to see all types of recorded information held by public organisations including Your Homes Newcastle - it's called 'Freedom of Information'.

If you ask us for information we must tell you if we hold it, and how much it would cost - if anything - to provide it. Unless it is covered by a specific exemption we must give you the information within 20 working days. Specific exemptions are those which might damage our commercial interests, such as the buying of goods and services; commercially sensitive information or third party information about others that would be a breach of data protection.

The publication scheme

We must publish a list of all the general information available to the public. The list is called a 'publication scheme'. Everything in our scheme is available here online, divided into seven main sections:

A. About Your Homes Newcastle
How we operate, how decisions are made, who sits on the Board, how we're organised, how we provide services . . .

B. Strategies and policies
Our mission, values and objectives; strategies and policies about key issues like choosing contractors, managing properties, resident involvement, equality, and collecting rent . . .

C. Finances and resources
Our annual budget, investment programmes, value for money, business plans

D. Our decisions
Agendas, reports, and minutes of the Board, sub-committees and Area Panels . . .

E. Improving our services
How good are our services? How we'll improve . . .

F. Your local services
Repairs, managing estates, rehousing, anti-social behaviour, standards, complaints, translations. . .

G. Tenant involvement and communication
Tenant and resident groups, newsletters, handbook, leaflets, involvement agreement . . .

Queries and requests

For more information contact:

Manager Central Services (Data Protection Officer)
Your Homes Newcastle
Freepost
NAT22311
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE30 4NB

Phone: 0101 2788600
Fax: 0191 2788603
Email: yhn@yhn.org.uk