7. The services we offer

FOI Class 7 Contents:

This class sets out details of services offered by the Coal Authority and includes regulatory responsibilities, services for public authorities, other organisations and members of the public.

Regulatory responsibilities
Services for Public Authorities
Services for industry
Services for other organisations and members of the public
Services for which the Coal Authority charges a fee
Leaflets, booklets and newsletters
Media releases

Regulatory responsibilities

Licensing and Permission to enter or disturb Coal Authority mining interests:

Model Documents

Safety, Health and Environment:

Public Safety and Subsidence:

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Services for Public Authorities

Planning and Local Authority Liaison:

The Coal Authority has recently sent two letters to all coalfield Local Authorities.

Standing Advice letter – how Local Authorities should currently deal with planning applications in coalfield areas
Information on two recent fatalities resulting from the legacy of coal mining with a request for local authorities to provide emergency contact details

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Services for industry

The recently formed Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is the Authority’s sponsoring department. Information on DECC can be found at www.decc.gov.uk

Public safety risks arising from investigations into coal and abandoned workings (22 August 2007)
Seams liable to spontaneous combustion (October 2008)

Coal Mining Technologies and Statistics

Underground Coal Gasification in the UK Overview

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Services for other organisations and members of the public

The Coal Authority’s Mining Heritage Centre holds information that is available to the public and to other organisations:

Coal Abandonment Plans:

The Mining Records Office holds all the coal abandonment plans which have been deposited, via the Mines Inspectorate, since the passing of the relevant Act of Parliament in 1872. The entire collection, which numbers in excess of 120,000 in total, depict not only the extents of the coaling operations but also the locations of the mine entries associated therewith. These unique plans, which are held under an agreement with the Health & Safety Executive, are held in a purpose built repository with an inbuilt temperature and humidity control and protected by a flood-gas fire protection system. To preserve these originals the entire collection has now been electronically scanned. All visits to inspect the records are by prior appointment only with half-day visits being are free of charge subject to a maximum of one half-day visit per week. Full-day visits incur a room hire fee of £50.00+VAT payable at the time of visit. If it is inconvenient to visit then the Authority will undertake a postal search and printing services subject to its advertised charges in providing the said service.

Abandonment Plans for Minerals Other Than Coal:

Original plans are held with the various County Archives throughout England and Wales and with the BGS at their Edinburgh Office with regards to Scotland. The Coal Authority have loaned and scanned these originals plans and the scanned images are also available for inspection.

Coal Holdings Register:

This class of records was compiled under the terms of The Coal (Registration of Ownership) Act of 1937. The Registers, and some 26,500 associated files, dealt with the transfer in ownership of coal, and the rights associated thereiwth, prior to the Nationalisation of the Coal Industry which took place on the 1st January 1947. All visits to inspect this class of records are by prior appointment only and are subject to a room hire fee of £50.00+VAT payable at the time of visit. If it is inconvenient to visit then the Authority will undertake a postal search and printing services subject to its advertised charges in providing the said service.

Licence Register:

Since its formation in 1994 the Coal Authority can grant a Licence to work coal to any interested third parties. The Licence Register contains information on all current granted licences together with any applications for the same received by the Coal Authority. In the case of a granted licence the entry consists of details of the Licensee, the relevant public extracts of the actual licence together with a plan/s depicting the area of the same.

Photographs:

The former National Coal Board / British Coal photgraphic collection is currently held in the National Archives at Kew. The Coal Authority have had the entire collection, comprising in excess of 45,000 images scanned ,and the electronic images are available for viewing on the dedicated terminals within the Mining Records department.

Geological data:

The former National Coal Board / British Coal prime geological data is currently held by the BGS at their Keyworth Headquarters (t: 0115 936 3143 or e: enquiries@bgs.ac.uk). The Coal Authority have had the entire collection of deep mine boreholes scanned and these electronic images will be available for viewing on the dedicated terminals within the Mining Records department shortly. Equally we have just began the scanning of the data relating to some 1 million opencast prospect boreholes and this will also be made available as the work progresses.

Inspection of Records:

All public records, which cover England, Scotland and Wales, can be viewed at the Coal Authority’s Mining Records Office, any day Monday to Friday, between the hours of 09.00 and 12:00 and 13:30 to 16:30 (13:00 to 16:00 Fridays). However, it should be noted that all visits are subject to the making of a prior appointment which can be made by contacting the office on telephone number 01623 637 235 or by fax on 01623 629100.

Postal Requests:

If it is inconvenient to visit the office, then searches of the relevant records can be undertaken subject to the currently advertised charges. The request can be sent by post to the Coal Authority’s full postal address or by fax to 01623 629100 or by e-mail to either davidclarke@coal.gov.uk or elaineclayton@coal.gov.uk

Information and Data Licences:

The Authority will provide public third-parties with information extracts from its coal mining database for the purpose of engineering, technical or academic studies. Standard conditions of supply are applicable.