Region at a glance
Find a council or topic
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North East councils
Core official routes for democracy, spending, planning, SEND and complaints.
County Durham Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Darlington Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Gateshead Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Hartlepool Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Middlesbrough Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Newcastle upon Tyne Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
North Tyneside Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Northumberland Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Redcar & Cleveland Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
South Tyneside Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Stockton-on-Tees Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Sunderland Council
Official routes for democratic records, finance, contracts, planning, SEND, complaints and access to information.
Council and democracy
Transparency and public money
Services and accountability
Regional government, investment and transport
Use these records where a decision is made above individual-council level.
North East Mayoral Strategic Authority
Strategic transport, skills, investment, housing, economic development and devolved programmes.
Tees Valley Combined Authority
Economic development, transport, skills, investment and mayoral development corporations across the five Tees Valley councils.
Local and regional transport scrutiny
Check council highways records alongside strategic authority papers, operator information and transport consultations.
SEND and EHCP transparency
Legal duties, local delivery, inspections, statistics and challenge routes.
Legal framework
Assessment, drafting and provision
Track the request date, six-week assessment decision, professional advice, draft plan, final plan and whether Section F provision is delivered.
SEND statistics and inspections
Independent advice and participation
Budgets, spending, contracts and audit
Follow public money from approval through procurement, payment and audit.
Documents to compare
- Medium-term financial plan and annual revenue budget.
- Capital programme and project business cases.
- Budget-monitoring and savings-delivery reports.
- Statement of accounts and annual governance statement.
- Payments to suppliers and procurement-card transactions.
- Contract register, award notices and contract extensions.
- Senior salaries, organisation charts and trade-union facility time.
National contract searches
Audit and value for money
Planning, housing and regeneration
Use council planning portals together with strategic plans, development corporations and external regulators.
Planning evidence checklist
- Application form, plans and supporting statements.
- Consultation responses and statutory-consultee advice.
- Officer report and committee webcast or minutes.
- Decision notice, conditions and reasons.
- Section 106 agreement and community-infrastructure obligations.
- Enforcement history and appeal documents.
National framework and appeals
Housing and homelessness accountability
Health, police, fire, education and care
Regional and national scrutiny routes for major public services.
NHS North East and North Cumbria
Police services and inspection
Fire and rescue services
Schools and children's services
Complaints, information rights and external accountability
Select the legal route that matches the information or remedy required.
Recorded public and environmental information
Your personal information
Maladministration and service failure
National scrutiny and data
Public transparency checklist
- Identify whether the council, strategic authority, NHS body, police force or another organisation owns the decision.
- Search agendas, minutes, forward plans, delegated decisions and registers before making an FOI request.
- Save the report title, meeting date, agenda number, decision-maker, vote and declared interests.
- Compare the original business case with later spending, outcomes, contract changes and audit reports.
- For planning, retain the application, officer report, decision notice, conditions, obligations and appeal records.
- Use FOI for recorded public information, EIR for environmental information and SAR for your own personal data.
- Request an internal review where an FOI or EIR response is inadequate.
- Complete the relevant complaint process before approaching an Ombudsman, unless a different statutory route applies.
- Keep dated copies because web pages and policies can change.
EHCP accountability checklist
- Save proof of the date the council received the assessment request.
- Track the six-week decision and overall statutory process.
- Request every professional advice document used by the council.
- Check Section B identifies all needs and Section F specifies and quantifies provision.
- Check Sections G and H cover relevant health and social-care provision.
- Submit written comments on the draft plan and request the preferred placement.
- Record missed provision after the final plan is issued.
- Use annual reviews to update needs, provision, outcomes and placement.
- Use tribunal appeal rights for appealable decisions and complaint routes for delay, poor administration or failure to provide agreed services.