Documentation Retention Procedure

EAST KIRKBY PARISH COUNCIL

DOCUMENTATION RETENTION PROCEDURES

(2025)

Adapted and Modified Specifically for East Kirkby Parish Council by Mrs. J Mussett (Parish Clerk)

and

Mr. B Nowicki (Chairman of the Parish Council)

October 2024

Statement

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

• Scope

• Responsibilities

• Relationships with existing policies

• Retention Schedule

Scope of the policy

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

Responsibilities

The 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 to the Parish Council.

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 Parish Councillors and the Parish Clerk must ensure that records for which they are responsible are accurate and are maintained and disposed of in accordance with the Parish Council’s records management guidelines.

Relationship with existing policies

This policy has been drawn up within the context of:

• Freedom of Information policy

• Data Protection policy/Publication Scheme

And with other legislation or regulations (including audit and Statute of Limitations) affecting the Parish Council.

Retention Schedule

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Parish 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.

Parish Councillors are expected to manage their current record keeping systems using the retention schedule and to take account of the different kinds of retention periods when they are creating new record keeping systems.

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

RETENTION OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE AUDIT OF PARISH COUNCIL

Document	Minimum retention period	Reason
Signed minutes of council meetings (Hard copy)	Indefinite	Archive
Scale of fees and charges	6 years	Management
Receipt and payment accounts (Hard copy)	Indefinite	Archive
Receipt books of all kinds	6 years	VAT
Bank statements including deposit/savings accounts	Last completed audit year	Audit
Bank paying-in books	Last completed audit year	Audit
Cheque book stubs	Last completed audit year	Audit
Quotations and tenders	6 years	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)
Paid invoices	6 years	VAT
Paid cheques	6 years	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)
VAT records	6 years	VAT
Petty cash and postage	6 years	Tax, VAT, Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)
Timesheets	Last completed audit year	Audit
Wages books/Payroll records	12 years	Superannuation
Insurance policies	While valid	Management
Certificates for insurance against liability for employees	40 years from date from when insurance commenced or was renewed	The Employer’s Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 (SI. 2753), Management
Investments	Indefinite	Audit, Management
Title deeds, leases, agreements, contracts	Indefinite	Audit, Management
Health and Safety
Accident books	25 years from closure	Management
Equipment Inspection Records	25 years	Management
Premises Inspection records	25 years	Management
Risk assessment	3 years from last assessment	Management
Parish Councillors
Register of Pecuniary Interests for Parish Councillors	18 months after individual ceases to be a Parish Councillor	Management
Miscellaneous
Complaints	5 yrs after closure of case	Management
Press releases	6 years	Management
Public consultation - survey and returns	5 years	Management
Reports, newsletters etc	Retain as long as useful	Management
Parish Council Newsletter	Deposit copy with British Library Own copy as long as wish	Archive Management
Planning
Planning applications where granted, plans and decision letters	Until development completed or indefinitely if contentious	Planning and enforcement
Appeal decision notice	Until development completed, maybe longer as may set a precedent	Planning and enforcement
Planning applications where refused, plans and decision letters	Until period in which appeal can be made expires or indefinitely if contentious	Planning and enforcement
Structure plans, Local Plans and similar documents	As long as in force	Planning and enforcement
Documentation for Legal purposes (unless extended)
Negligence	6 yrs	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)
Defamation	1 yr	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended
Contract	6 yrs	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended
Sums recoverable	6 yrs	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended
Personal injury	3 yrs	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended
Breach of Trust	None	Limitation Act 1980 (as amended