What should a retention schedule contain? 10 July 2014 local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Retention Schedule Disposal Schedule local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Disposal of Records Disposal of records should be undertaken only in accordance with clearly established policies that: Reflect the authority’s continuing need for access to the information or the potential value of the records for historical or other research; Are based on consultation between records management staff, staff of the relevant business unit and, where appropriate, others such as legal advisers, archivists or external experts; Have been formally adopted by the authority; Are applied by properly authorised staff; Take account of security and confidentiality needs Lord Chancellors Code section 12.4 local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Disposal Schedules Disposal schedules should contain sufficient details about the records to enable the records to be easily identified and the disposal action applied to them on a routine and timely basis. The amount of detail in disposal schedules will depend on the authority’s needs. Disposal schedules should be arranged in the way that best meets the authority’s needs. Lord Chancellors Code section 12.6 local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Contents of a Disposal Schedule Describe the records including any relevant reference numbers Reference numbers can include a file classification reference a departmental reference a record series number Identify the function to which the records relate and the business unit for that function (if that is not clear) Using service lists Using classification scheme Using organisational structures local.gov.uk/lginformplus

One Hundred Acre Wood Council Retention Schedule Function Records Description Reference Number Finance Accounting Invoices and accounts payable FN12 Facilities Council Property Work orders generated for repairs to County Hall FM17 local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Contents of a Disposal Schedule Specify the retention period including the trigger event a retention period cannot be used without a trigger event current financial year closure date of birth date of death last contact last action Specify what is to happen to them at the end of that period Secure disposal Transfer to archives Destroy local.gov.uk/lginformplus

One Hundred Acre Wood Council Retention Schedule Function Records Description Reference Number Retention Period Action Finance Accounting Invoices and accounts payable FN12 Current financial year + 6 years SECURE DISPOSAL Facilities Council Property Work orders generated for repairs to County Hall FM17 Date repairs completed + 6 years DESTROY local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Contents of a Disposal Schedule Note the legal, regulatory or other reason for the disposal period and action Statutory requirement Best practice Required by operational unit local.gov.uk/lginformplus

One Hundred Acre Wood Council Retention Schedule Function Records Description Reference Number Retention Period Action Statutory Requirement Finance Accounting Invoices and accounts payable FN12 Current financial year + 6 years SECURE DISPOSAL HMRC - Compliance Handbook Manual CH15400 Facilities Council Property Work orders generated for repairs to County Hall FM17 Date repairs completed + 6 years DESTROY Limitation Act 1980 Section 2 local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Contents of a Disposal Schedule You might want to Include a reference number for each entry Link the retention period to an item in the information asset register Include a protective marking column local.gov.uk/lginformplus

One Hundred Acre Wood Council Retention Schedule Ref Function Records Description Reference Number Retention Period Action Statutory Requirement Protective Marking Information Asset Register FN1 Finance Accounting Invoices and accounts payable FN12 Current financial year + 6 years SECURE DISPOSAL HMRC - Compliance Handbook Manual CH15400 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED IAR44.1 FM1 Facilities Council Property Work orders generated for repairs to County Hall FM17 Date repairs completed + 6 years DESTROY Limitation Act 1980 Section 2 IAR45.1 local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Further Requirements Disposal schedules should be kept up to date and amended if a statutory provision changes. Consider keeping a copy of each version so the basis on which records were previously destroyed can be explained. Make sure that the record retention schedule has been incorporated in the organisation’s risk mitigation strategy. local.gov.uk/lginformplus

local.gov.uk/lginformplus

local.gov.uk/lginformplus

local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Section 46 Workbook local.gov.uk/lginformplus

Section 46 Workbook local.gov.uk/lginformplus