BURGHILL PARISH COUNCIL
Data Retention and Records Management Policy
Adopted 12th June 2018
Burghill Parish Council, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, is required to maintain a data retention and records management policy. The Council are fully aware that this system is required for its legal and regulatory obligations so it is required that it is efficient and robust.
This policy applies to all records created, received or maintained by Burghill Parish Council, whether this is in hard or electronic copy. The Parish Clerk is responsible for the managing and implementation of this policy.
Records
|
Retention period | Action | Reason |
Administrative |
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Signed council and committee minutes | Transfer to HRO after 6 years or once they become inactive | Preserve | Common practice |
Draft minutes | Until the date of confirmation of the minutes | Destroy | Operational |
Minutes | Indefinite | Preserve | Audit, Operational |
Agendas | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Destroy | Operational |
Reports and other documents circulated with agendas | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement. Destroy these reports if copies are already included with signed minutes | Review | Common practice |
Councillors’ declarations of office | 4 years or until they vacate office | Destroy | Operational |
Register of electors | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Destroy | Copies already in existence |
Grouping orders | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Destroy | Operational |
Byelaws and orders | Preserve one of each copy and transfer to HRO once they become inactive | Preserve | Common practice |
Policy documents | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Title deeds more than 100 years old | Transfer to HRO once they become inactive. HRO will not accept deeds still needed to prove title | Preserve | Common practice |
Title deeds less than 100 years old | Transfer to HRO for review once they become inactive. HRO will not accept deeds still needed to prove title | Review | Common practice |
Property registers and terriers | Transfer to HRO once they become inactive | Preserve | Common practice |
Maps, plans, and surveys of property owned by the council or meeting | Transfer to HRO once they become inactive | Preserve | Common practice |
General correspondence | 6 Years after correspondence ends | Destroy | Operational |
Complaints | 6 Years after resolution of complaint | Destroy | Operational |
Information Requests | 6 Years after resolution of request | Destroy | Operational |
Village/parish appraisals, plans, millennium projects and supporting papers | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Planning applications and related papers for major controversial developments | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review with the view to destroy | Operational |
Planning applications for minor works where permission is refused | 6 years | Destroy | Limitation Act 1980 |
Leases, agreements, contracts and wayleaves | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Parish council newsletter | Transfer one copy to HRO | Preserve | Common practice |
Newsletter mailing list | Retain until consent withdrawn or following regular review consent no longer provided | Destroy | Operational |
Quotations and tenders (successful) | 6 years after contract ends | Destroy | Limitation Act 1980 |
Quotations and tenders (unsuccessful) | 2 years | Destroy | Operational |
Routine internal correspondence and papers | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review with the view to destroy | Operational |
Scale of fees and charges | Until superseded by new charges | Destroy | Operational |
Employers’ liability insurance policies | 40 years after expiry date | Destroy | Employers’ Liability Act 1969
Employers’ Liability Regulations 1998 |
Risk assessments | Once superseded by a new risk assessment or once inactive | Destroy | Operational |
Personnel files | 6 Years after termination of service | Destroy | Risk of investigation regarding any future litigation |
Personnel files – annual leave | 2 years | Destroy | Operational |
Recruitment data
Successful
Unsuccessful |
Add to personnel file
6 months after recruitment finalised plus current year |
Destroy | Equalities Act |
Financial |
|||
Receipt and payment books | Transfer to HRO once they become inactive | Preserve | Council financial regulations |
Rate books | Transfer to HRO | Preserve | Common practice |
Annual audited accounts
|
6 years. | Destroy, but preserve if the receipt and payment books have not survived. | Council financial regulations |
Accounts and statements | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Vouchers before 1950 | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Cash and petty cash books and rent books | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Receipt books of all kinds | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Postage and telephone books | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Bank statements including deposit/saving accounts | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Bank paying-in books | Last completed Audit year | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Cheque book stubs | Last completed Audit year | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Paid invoices | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Paid cheques | 6 years | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
VAT records | 6 years | Destroy | VAT Act 1994 |
VAT claims | 6 years | Destroy | VAT Act 1994 |
Time sheets (inc Lengthsman) | Last completed Audit year | Destroy | Council financial regulations |
Wage books | 12 years | Destroy | Statute of Limitation |
Members’ allowances register | 6 years | Destroy | Statute of Limitation |
Records relating to parish halls, centres and recreation grounds, applications to hire, letting diaries, copies of bills to hirers and records of tickets issued | 6 years | Review with the view to destroy | Council financial regulations |
Miscellaneous |
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Maps created under the provision of the Rights of Way Act 1932 | Transfer to HRO once they become inactive | Preserve | Common practice |
Papers concerning Rights of Way | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Destroy | Operational |
Legal Papers | Indefinite | Preserve | Audit, Operational |
Community magazines or newsletters(not created by the parish council) | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Charity papers | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Press cuttings book | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Photographs | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |
Any records predating the establishment of Parish Councils (1894), e.g. poor law, surveyors of the highway, tithe maps and apportionments, enclosure awards etc. | Transfer to HRO immediately | Preserve | Common practice |
Records of other bodies such as burial boards, charities, fire brigades, Home Guard unit, local society or ad hoc committee | Transfer to HRO once they become inactive | Preserve | Common practice |
Reports, guides, handbooks etc received from other organisations | Until there is no longer an administrative requirement | Review | Operational |