Bellingham Parish Council | Document Retention Policy

Document Retention Policy

Policy Adopted May 2023. Next Review Date May 2024

There is a clear need to retain documentation for a variety of reasons such as audit purposes, staff management, tax and VAT and the potential eventuality of legal dispute and proceedings. The retention policy covers the main types of council records.

Records identified for permanent preservation should be deposited within the local Archive Service once there is no longer an administrative need for the documents. Records to be destroyed can be done so once they become inactive or the minimum retention period expires. All records assigned for disposal that contain personal information will be securely disposed of - no personal information is held electronically by the council, so no specific electronic deletion policy is required.

Records	Retention Period	Action	Reason
Minute books	Indefinite	Preserve	Archive after 6 years
Signed council minutes	Indefinite	Preserve	Archive after 6 years per common practice
Draft minutes	Until the date of confirmation of the minutes.	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Agendas	Until no longer needed for administrative purposes	Preserve	Archive after 6 years. Electronic copies can be retained on the website indefinitely.
Reports and documents circulated with agendas	Until no longer needed for administrative purposes	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Councillors’ declarations of office and interest, GDPR forms	Until they vacate office	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Register of electors	Until no longer needed or a new version supersedes the existing version	Destroy	Not currently held by the council, but if held in future should be destroyed when no longer needed.
Policy documents	Until superseded by a new version	Destroy	All old copies to be destroyed once new copy has been approved by the council.
Title deeds	Indefinite	Preserve	None currently held, but this is to be retained in future if relevant.
Property registers, asset receipts, etc	Indefinite	Preserve	Archive after 6 years per common practice
Maps of property owned by the council	Indefinite	Preserve	Archive after 6 years per common practice
General correspondence	6 years after correspondence ends	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Complaints	6 years after resolution of complaint	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Information requests	6 years after resolution of request	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Town plans, projects and supporting papers	Until there is no longer an administrative need.	Review on ongoing basis	Archive when superseded
Planning application information	6 years if permission is refused - otherwise until there is no longer an administrative need.	Destroy	Limitation Act 1980
Leases, agreements and contracts	Indefinite	Preserve	Audit purposes
Scales of fees and charges	Until superseded by a new version. Retain past versions for 6 years.	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Insurance policies (including employer’s liability)	40 years after expiry date	Destroy	Employers’ Liability Act 1969, Employers’ Liability Regulations 1998
Risk assessments	Until superseded by a new version	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Personnel information	6 years after termination of service	Destroy	Retain due to risk of litigation.
Receipts and payments information/books	Indefinite	Preserve	Transfer to archive after 6 years per common practice.
Annual audited accounts	6 years	Destroy	Common practice
Accounts and statements	6 years	Destroy	Common practice
Bank statements	6 years	Destroy	Common practice
Paying in books and cheque book stubs	6 years	Destroy	Common practice
Paid invoices	6 years	Destroy	VAT/Common practice
VAT records	6 years	Destroy	VAT/Common practice
Quotations and tenders	6 years after contract ends	Destroy	Operational - no longer needed
Allotment register and plans	Indefinite	Preserve	Archive after 6 years
Burial grounds - fees collected, register of burials, register of purchased graves, plan of grave spaces, register of memorials, applications for internment, right to erect monuments, disposal certificates, etc	Indefinite	Preserve	Archives, Local Authorities Cemetery Order 1977 (SI. 204)