Retention of Documents Policy

Introduction

The Town Council recognises that the efficient management of its records is necessary to comply with its legal and regulatory obligations and to contribute to the effective overall management of the Town Council.

This document provides the policy framework through which this effective management can be achieved and audited. It covers:

Scope

Responsibilities

Retention Schedule

Disposal of records

Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all records created, received or maintained by the Town Council in the course of carrying out its functions.

Records are defined as all those documents which facilitate the business carried out by the Town Council and which are thereafter retained (for a set period) to provide evidence of its transactions or activities. These records may be created, received or maintained in hard copy or electronically. A small percentage of the Town Council’s records will be selected for permanent preservation as part of the Council’s archives and for historical research.

Responsibilities

The Town Council has a corporate responsibility to maintain its records and record management systems in accordance with the regulatory environment. The person with overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy is the Clerk to the Town Council, and she/he is required to manage the Council’s records in such a way as to promote compliance with this policy so that information will be retrieved easily, appropriately and in a timely manner.

Retention Schedule

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Town Council is required to maintain a retention schedule listing the record series which it creates in the course of its business. The retention schedule lays down the length of time which the record needs to be retained and the action which should be taken when it is of no further administrative use. The Clerk is expected to manage the current record keeping systems using the retention schedule and to take account of the different retention periods when creating new record keeping systems.

Disposal procedures

All documents that are no longer required for administrative reasons should be shredded and disposed of.

Retention of Documents Schedule

This retention schedule refers to record series regardless of the media in which they are stored.

Document	Minimum Retention	Reason
Minute Books	Indefinite	Archive
Annual Accounts	Indefinite	Archive
Annual Return	Indefinite	Archive
Annual Town Report	Indefinite	Archive
Bank Statements	Last completed audit year	Audit/management
Cheque book stubs	Last completed audit year	Audit/management
Paying in books	Last completed audit year	Audit/management
Quotations	7 years	Audit
Paid invoices	7 years	Audit/VAT
VAT records	7 years	Audit/VAT
Petty cash	7 years	Audit/VAT
Timesheets	Last completed audit year	Audit/management
Salary records	12 years	Superannuation
Tax & NI records	7 years	Audit
Personal data of employees	6 years after employment terminates	Recommended practice
Recruitment paperwork	1 year for all except successful candidate	Recommended practice
Insurance policies	Whilst valid	Audit
Cert of Employers Liability	40 years	Audit/legal
Cert of public liability	40 years	Audit/legal
Insurance claim records	7 years after all obligations are concluded	Management
Risk Assessments	12 years	Statute of Limitations
Inspection records -weekly, monthly, annual etc	12 years	Statute of Limitations
Accident Books/reports	3 years or if a child/young adult, until that person reaches 21	RIDDOR (SI.1995/3163)
Asset register	Indefinite	Audit
Deeds, leases	Indefinite	Audit
Declarations of Acceptance	Term of office +1 year	Management
Member’s register of interests’ book	Term of office + 1 year	Management
Formal Complaints	1 year	Management
Freedom of Information requests	7 years	Management
Adopted Council Policy Documents	Indefinite (archive after superceded)	Management
General information	3 months	Management
Routine correspondence & emails	6 months	Management
Allotments:  Register, plans & agreements	Indefinite	Audit/management
Local/historical information – including records of local interest gifted to the Council	Indefinite	Archive

Planning Applications

All planning applications and relevant decision notices are available at Allerdale Borough Council or Cumbria County Council. There is no requirement to retain duplicates locally. All Town Council recommendations in connection with these applications are recorded in the Council minutes and are retained indefinitely. Correspondence received in connection with applications will be retained as stated in the above schedule.