Policies & Procedures – Normanby by Spital Parish Council

Data Retention and Records Management

Normanby by Spital Parish Council is aware that the efficient management of its records is required to comply with its legal and regulatory obligations. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Council to maintain a retention schedule. The policy also ensures that valuable information is not destroyed and that information held is relevant.

This policy applies to all records created, received or maintained by Normanby by Spital Parish Council in hard copy or electronic format. The Clerk will be overall responsible for the implementation of the policy and managing the Council’s records.

Records	Retention Period	Action	Reason
Administrative
Signed Council and Committee minutes	Transfer to archive after 6 years	Preserve	Best Practice
Draft Minutes	Until the date of confirmation	Destroy	Best Practice
Agendas	Transfer to archive after 6 years	Preserve	Best Practice
Digital recordings	Transfer to archive after 6 years	Preserve	Best Practice
Reports and other documents circulated with agendas	Until there is no longer an admin requirement. Can be destroyed if copies are already included with signed minutes	Review	Best Practice
Councillors declarations of office	4 years or until they vacate office	Destroy	Mandatory requirement
Register of electors	Until there is no longer an admin requirement	Destroy	Copies held by District Council
Policy Documents	Until there is no longer an admin requirement	Review	Best Practice
Title deeds more than 50 years old	Transfer to archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Property Registers and Inventories	Transfer to archive once they become inactive	Preserve	Best Practice
Maps, plans and surveys of property owned by the Council	Transfer to archive once they become inactive	Preserve	Best Practice
General Correspondence	6 years after correspondence ends	Destroy	Best Practice
Complaints	6 years after resolution of complaint	Destroy	Best practice
Information Requests	6 years after resolution of request	Destroy	Best Practice
Planning Applications and related papers for major developments	Indefinitely or until there is no longer and admin requirement the transfer to archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Planning Applications for minor works	6 years	Destroy	Best Practice
Planning appeals decisions	1-year post decision then transfer to archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Leases, agreements and contacts	6 years then transfer to archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Parish Council Newsletters	1 year then transfer to archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Quotations and Tenders	6 years after contract ends transfer to archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Routine Internal correspondence and papers	Until there is no longer and admin requirement	Destroy	Best Practice
Scales of fees and charges	Until superseded by new charges	Destroy	Best Practice
Employers Liability Insurance Policies	40 years after expiry date	Destroy	Employers’ Liability Act 1969 Employers Liability Regulations 1998
Risk Assessments	Until superseded by new ones or they become inactive	Destroy	Operational
Personnel files	6 years after termination of service	Destroy	Risk of investigation regarding any future litigation
Personnel Annual Leave	2 years	Destroy	Operational
Recruitment Data – Successful	Add to personnel file		Best Practice
Recruitment Data – Unsuccessful	6 months post recruitment	Destroy	Best Practice
Financial
Receipt and Payment books	Transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Annual Audited Accounts	6 years – then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Mandatory requirement
Accounts and statements	6 years – then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Mandatory requirement
Cash and Petty Cash Books	6 years – then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Mandatory requirement
Bank Statements all accounts	6 years – then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Bank paying in books	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Cheque book stubs	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Paid Invoices	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Paid Cheques	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
VAT Records	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	VAT Regulations
VAT Claims	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	VAT Regulations
Members allowance register	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Burial and Graveyard
Burial Records	Indefinite	Preserve	Operational
Burial Plot Information	Indefinite	Preserve	Operational
Miscellaneous
Committee Minutes	6 years– then transfer to Archive	Preserve	Best Practice
Legal Papers	Indefinite	Preserve	Operational
Information from other Bodies	Retain for as long as required	Review and Destroy	Operational
Code of Conduct	Review Annually and destroy on renewal	Destroy	Operational
Standing Orders	Review Annually and destroy on renewal	Destroy	Operational
Council Policies	Review Annually and destroy on renewal	Destroy	Operational

Policy Adopted: 17th November 2020

Policy Last Reviewed

Mrs N Fox

Parish Clerk and RFO