Policies – Ingham Parish Council

Record Retention Policy

Records Retention Policy

Ingham Parish 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 association. This document provides the policy framework through which this effective management can be achieved and audited.

It covers:

· Scope

· Responsibilities

· Retention Schedule

Scope

This policy applies to all records created, received or maintained by Ingham Parish Council in the course of carrying out its functions. Records are defined as all those documents which facilitate the business carried out by Ingham Parish 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 Ingham Parish Council records may be selected for permanent preservation as part of the Councils archives and for historical research.

Responsibilities

Ingham Parish 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 this policy is the Clerk. The person responsible for records management will give guidance for good records management practice and will promote compliance with this policy so that information will be retrieved easily, appropriately and timely. Individual staff and employees must ensure that records for which they are responsible are accurate, and are maintained and disposed of in accordance with Ingham Parish Council’s records management guidelines.

Retention Schedule

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

Document	Minimum Retention Period	Reason
Minutes
Minutes of Council meetings	Indefinite	Archive
Minutes of committee meetings	Indefinite	Archive
Agendas	Until no longer required	Archive
Notes of Council meetings	Until Minutes are approved	Management
Employment
Staff employment contracts	6 years after ceasing employment	Management
Staff payroll information	3 years	Management
Staff references	6 years after ceasing employment	Management
Application forms (interviewed – unsuccessful)	6 months	Management
Application forms (interviewed – successful)	6 years after ceasing employment	Management
Disciplinary files	6 years after ceasing employment	Management
Staff appraisals	6 years after ceasing employment	Management
Finance
Scales of fees and charges	6 years	Management
Receipt and payment accounts/ General Ledger	Indefinite	VAT
Bank statements	7 years	Audit
Cheque book stubs/ paying in book	Last completed audit year	Audit
Paid invoices	7 years	VAT
Paid cheques	7 years	Limitation Act 1980
Payroll records	7 years	HMRC
Petty cash accounts	Last completed audit year	Audit
Audit documents/ Annual return (AGAR)	Last completed audit year	Audit
VAT records	7 years	VAT
Insurance
Insurance policies	6 years after policy end	Management
Certificates for Insurance against liability for employees	40 years	Management
Certificates for Public Liability	21 years	Management
Insurance claim records	6 years after policy end	Management
Health and Safety
Accident books	3 years from date of last entry	Statutory
Risk assessment	3 years	Management
General Management
Councillors contact details	Duration of membership	Management
Quotations	6 years	Audit
Lease agreements	Unlimited	Limitation Act 1980
Village Green registration	Unlimited	Limitation Act 1980
Contracts	6 years	Limitation Act 1980
Email messages	At end of useful life	Management
Consent forms	5 years	Management
GDPR Security Compliance form	Duration of membership	Management
Councillor Declaration forms	Duration of membership	Management
Councillor Register of members Interest	Duration of membership	Management
Councillor Code of Conduct Acceptance Forms	Duration of membership	Management
Register of Electors	Until the replacement is received	Management
Correspondence and letters	12 months	Management
Correspondence on important local issues	Indefinite	Archive
Grants	6 years	Management
Risk reports	Until after audit	Management
Play area inspections	6 years	Management
Newsletters	Until used	Management
Training Requests	Until used	Management
Grass cutting maps	Indefinite	Management
Grass cutting quotations/ agreements	Until no longer relevant	Management
Conservation area booklet	Indefinite	Management
Planning
Planning documents where: accepted refused	As long as useful 1 year after refusal date	Management Held at Local Authority
Planning responses	1 year after submission	Held at Local authority

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Version number	Purpose/change	Author	Date
0.1	Initial draft	LSS	06/03/18
1.0	Final	LSS	9/5/23