Freedom of Information
This publication scheme follows the model prepared and approved by the Information Commissioner. St John’s College (the ‘College’) makes information available to the public as part of its normal activities. The information covered is included in the classes of information mentioned below, where this information is held by the College.
Information about how to make enquiries
The College intends:
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to publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information which is held by the College and falls within the classifications below
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to specify the information which is held by the College and falls within the classifications below
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to publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information described in this scheme
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to publish the methods by which information is routinely made available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public
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to review and update on a regular basis the information the College makes available under this scheme
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to produce a schedule of any fees charged for access to information which is made available
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to make this publication scheme available to the public
Classes of information
a) Who we are and what we do
Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance.
b) What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts.
c) What our priorities are and how we are doing
Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.
d) How we make decisions
Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations.
e) Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols for delivering the College’s functions and responsibilities.
f) Lists and registers
Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the College.
g) The services we offer
Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered.
The classes of information will not generally include:
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information the disclosure of which is prevented by law, or exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or is otherwise properly considered to be protected from disclosure
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information in draft form
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information that is no longer readily available as it is contained in files that have been placed in archive storage or is difficult to access for similar reasons
The method by which information published under this scheme will be made available
The College will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained.
Where it is within the capability of the College, information will be provided on its website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on its website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, the College will indicate how information can be obtained by other means and provide it by those means.
In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person. Where this manner is specified, contact details will be provided. An appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable timescale.
Information will be provided in the language in which it is held or in such other language that is legally required. Where the College is legally required to translate any information, it will do so.
Obligations under disability and discrimination legislation and any other legislation to provide information in other forms and formats will be adhered to when providing information in accordance with this scheme.
Charges which may be made for information published under this scheme
The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the College for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum.
Material which is published and accessed on the College’s website will be provided free of charge.
Charges may be made for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament.
Charges may be made for actual disbursements incurred such as:
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photocopying
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postage and packaging
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the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information
Charges may also be made for information provided under this scheme where they are legally authorised, they are in all the circumstances, including the general principles of the right of access to information held by public authorities, justified and are in accordance with a published schedule or schedules of fees which is readily available to the public.
If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.
Written requests
Information held by the College that is not published under this scheme can be requested by writing to the Freedom of Information Officer at St John’s College, Cambridge, CB2 1TP, or emailing the Freedom of Information Officer. Provision will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
Complaints procedure
The College has a review procedure for dealing with complaints. To invoke this procedure you should write to the College’s Freedom of Information Officer stating your reasons for the request for a review. A College Officer, other than the person who has made the original decision and, therefore against whom the complaint has been made, will review the issue and make a decision.
a) Who we are and what we do
Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts.
Legal framework
The Charter of the College (in Latin) and an unofficial translation.
The Statutes of the College.
The Standing Orders of the College.
How the institution is organised
The College is administered by the Master and the College Council under the ultimate authority of the Governing Body, comprising the Master and all the Fellows of the College in accordance with the Statutes of the College and with the Standing Orders, which are made by the College Council or, in a few cases, by the Governing Body. The College Council normally meets fortnightly during term time. The Governing Body normally meets termly. Rules relating to elections to the College Council and to meetings of the College Council and of the Governing Body may be found in the Statutes and Standing Orders of the College.
The principal officers of the College include the Master, the President, the Senior Bursar, the Senior Tutor, the Domestic Bursar, the Tutors and the Deans, who are subject to the duties specified in the Statutes and Standing Orders of the College. The educational work of the College is performed by Directors of Studies, Tutors, College Lecturers and Supervisors.
The College Council appoint various standing and ad hoc committees, whose membership and terms of reference are available upon request. The standing committees include the Audit Committee, as required by the Statutes.
Location and contact details
Lists of and information relating to organisations for which the College has responsibility, those it works in partnership with, those it sponsors and companies wholly owned by it
The Governance and administration of St John’s College School is governed by the Articles of Association of St John’s College School, Cambridge, a company limited by guarantee with registered company number 13396877 (the ‘School’) and by the Relationship Agreement dated 10 September 2021 entered into between the College and the School. The School has its own website.
The College’s principal trading and dormant subsidiary undertakings and their activities are:
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St John’s Enterprises Limited
The provision of conference facilities and tourism administration at the College.
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Aquila Investments Limited
Property development and farming.
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St John’s Innovation Centre Limited
The management of St John’s Innovation Centre on behalf of the College, and the provision of advice and guidance to early stage knowledge-based businesses in the Cambridge sub-region.
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Lomas Developments Limited
Property development.
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St John's College Development Limited
Dormant.
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Aquivar Management Services Limited
Dormant.
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SJCS International Limited
Leasing of intellectual property.
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St John’s College School, Cambridge
Primary education.
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Parlington LLP
Investment property management; a joint venture which the College has a 50% interest in.
These companies have their own publication schemes, hard copies of which are available on request.
Student activities
The principal student associations in the College are the Junior Combination Room (comprising both undergraduates and graduate students) and the Samuel Butler Room (comprising graduate students). The constitutions of those associations may be found in the Standing Orders.
The College also has a number of clubs and societies.
b) What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
Financial information for the current and previous three financial years is available as described below. Information for earlier years is available free of charge on application to the Freedom of Information Officer.
Funding / income
The funding of the College derives from College fees and charges to senior and junior members as in Schedule 1 to the Standing Orders, the College’s investment portfolio and other property, donations, and Gift Aid receipts from its wholly-owned companies. The income and expenditure of the College and the College’s investment policy and investment portfolio are described in further detail in the College Accounts.
Budgetary and account information
The College Accounts.
Financial audit report
Copies of the independent auditors’ annual reports to the Governing Body of the College are contained within the College Accounts.
Financial regulations and procedures
Financial regulations and procedures are included in the Standing Orders of the College.
Staff pay and grading structures
Hard copy available on request from the Freedom of Information Officer.
Gender Pay Gap Report
The College’s Gender Pay Gap Report.
Register of suppliers
The College has an approved list of suppliers and aims to obtain best value for money in various consortium purchasing arrangements. The details of those arrangements are not included in this publication scheme for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Procurement and tender procedures and reports
The College is not a public authority for the purpose of European Law relating to tendering requirements. Its normal practice in relation to capital works is to procure them through a tendering process.
Contracts
The College does not publish details of its commercial contracts.
Research funding
The College funds its own scheme of Research Fellowships. It also supports a number of senior and junior research studentships. The College has funding schemes to assist the research of its Fellows and students, which may be found in the Standing Orders.
c) What our priorities are and how we are doing
Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
Annual report
The Annual Review of the College is published in its annual Accounts. The College magazine The Eagle is available for download.
Corporate and business plans
The College annual five-year strategic plan may be obtained in hard copy by request.
Academic quality and standards
The academic assessment of students at the College is conducted through Tripos and other University examinations (for undergraduates) and through the Board of Graduate Studies of the University (for graduate students). Information may be found on the University’s website. Information about related College procedures can be found in the Standing Orders of the College.
Government and regulatory reports
The College prepares an annual Public Benefit Report and other returns to the Charity Commission following its registration as a registered charity.
d) How we make decisions
Decision-making processes and records of decisions.
Minutes from Governing Body, Council, appointment committees and standing committees
Minutes of the Governing Body and unreserved Minutes of the Council and Standing Committees may be supplied on paper by request.
Appointment committees and procedures
Minutes of appointments committees are not published because they contain personal information. Advertisements for employment within the College, and the relevant appointment procedures, may be found on the Vacancies page.
e) Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities.
Policies and procedures for conducting College business
The Standing Orders of the College (with Appendices) including reference to codes of practice.
Procedures and policies relating to academic services
Available on request.
Procedures and policies relating to student services
Available on request.
Procedures and policies relating to human resources
Available on request.
Procedures and policies relating to recruitment
Current vacancies at the College.
Code of conduct for members of governing bodies
The College’s code relating to conflict of interests may be found in the Standing Orders.
Equality, diversity and inclusivity
The College is committed to equal opportunities in the recruitment of its Fellows, students and staff.
Freedom of speech
The College’s statement on freedom of speech.
Health and safety
The College’s health and safety statement.
Estate management
Hard copy available on request.
The College's policy regarding the release of section 29 covenants.
Complaints policy
The complaints policy is in the introduction to this publication scheme.
Personal data policy
The College’s Data Protection Policy and privacy notices.
Modern slavery act
The College’s modern slavery act statement.
Prevention of the facilitation of tax evasion
The College’s statement on the prevention of the facilitation of tax evasion.
Charging regimes and policies
Details of the fee and charges levied by the College may be found in the Standing Orders. Details of charges made for the provision of information included in this publication scheme are available on application.
f) Lists and registers
Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publicly available registers
A list of the College’s trustees is publicly available at the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Asset registers
Details of the College’s principal landholdings are available in hard copy on request.
Disclosure logs
The College maintains disclosure logs for freedom of information requests received and responded to and for subject access requests received and responded to. Applications for information contained in these logs should be made to the Freedom of Information Officer.
Register of gifts and hospitality provided to senior personnel
No register is considered necessary as business gifts and hospitality received by the College personnel are of negligible value only.
Any register of interests kept in the College
Applications for information contained in the College’s register of interests should be made to the Freedom of Information Officer.
Application and admission statistics
The statistics for each Cambridge college are available on the University’s website.
g) The services we offer
Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters.
Prospectus
The College’s undergraduate admissions prospectus.
University undergraduate and graduate admissions information.
Services for outside bodies
The College does not normally provide services for outside bodies.
Course content
Undergraduate course content information.
Welfare and counselling
Information concerning welfare and counselling services for students.
Information concerning the University Counselling Service.
Health including medical services
Information concerning the College Nurse and health services available to students.
Information on health and safety in the College, including the College’s Health & Safety Policy Statement.
Careers
Careers advice is available to members of the College via the University’s Career Service.
Chaplaincy services
Information concerning the College Chaplain and the religious life of the College.
Services for which the College is entitled to recover a fee together with those fees
Information concerning College fees and charges may be found in the Standing Orders.
Sports and recreational facilities
Information concerning College sporting and recreational facilities.
Museums, libraries, special collections and archives
Information concerning the College Library and Archives, including special exhibitions.
Conference facilities
Information concerning the College’s catering and conference facilities.
Further information is available on the Conference Cambridge website.
Advice and guidance
Information concerning the Tutorial system and Direction of Studies, and other information concerning advice and guidance available to members of the College may be found on Education and Learning, on Health and Wellbeing and in the Guide to Student Behaviour.
Local campaigns
Information concerning the College’s Alumni Office and the College Appeal.
Media releases
News stories issued by the College.