East Midlands Freeport is committed to transparency and the Nolan Principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.
While East Midlands Freeport is not legally bound by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), we aim to exceed basic standards to build public trust and meet the expectations of our partners and stakeholders. However, we will also rigorously protect commercially sensitive information, recognising that maintaining confidentiality is fundamental to securing private sector confidence and attracting investment to our development sites.
Our Approach to Transparency
We will:
- Proactively disclose our key governance documents, frameworks, and strategic plans
- Provide timely responses to reasonable requests for information
- Support our public sector partners in meeting their transparency obligations
What We Will Publish
Governance Documents
- Board agendas: Published within 5 working days after Board meeting
- Ratified minutes: Published within 5 working days of approval, excluding confidential items
- Governance frameworks: Including subcommittee terms of reference
Strategic Plans
- Including information about Investment, Skills and Innovation Plans, as they are developing
Corporate Documents
- Annual Business Plans
- Annual Reports
- Annual Accounts (via link to Companies House)
Policy Documents
- Diversity Statement
- Conflicts of Interest Policy
- Complaints Policy
- Code of Conduct
- Recruitment and other relevant HR Policies
- Our Policies on Fraud, Bribery, Corruption, and Gifts and Hospitality
Registers and Other Commitments
- Declarations of Interest: For all Board directors, including elected and private sector representatives, with appropriate safeguards for sensitive data
What We Will Not Publish
To protect commercial confidentiality and personal privacy, East Midlands Freeport will not publish:
- Commercially sensitive information including details protected by third-party confidentiality agreements
- Personal data not required by law
- Items protected by legal privilege
When determining whether information is exempt from release, we will refer to the exemption guidance provided in the FOIA and Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act.
Handling Information Requests
- East Midlands Freeport will aim to respond to reasonable information requests within 20 working days
- Requests will be assessed for alignment with our transparency commitments and resource capacities
- We will support public sector partners to respond to FOIA-related queries, as appropriate
Timelines for Publication
- Board agendas: Published within 5 working days of Board meeting
- Ratified minutes: Published within 5 working days of Board approval
- Annual Review: Published within one month of Board approval
- Annual accounts: We will publish a link to the relevant page on the Companies House website once available
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
We will regularly review and update this policy to reflect evolving expectations and best practices.
Contact Us
For further questions or information, please contact us at info@emfreeport.com.