St Columb Major Town Council

 Data Retention Policy

Retention Schedule for Council Records

There is a clear need to retain documentation for a variety of reasons including audit purposes, staff management, tax and VAT and the potential eventuality of legal dispute and proceedings.

The Retention Schedule includes the main types of Council records. Each entry lists the record series along with the proposed action, the retention periods and reasons for the action. Further information can be sought from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), the Local County Association or the Society of Local Council Clerks.

The following information provides an explanation for each of the three action terms used within the schedule.

Records identified for permanent preservation

Records in this category have been identified for permanent retention. These should be deposited with the local Archive Service once there is no longer an administrative need for them to be kept locally.

The only financial records recommended for deposit are the payment and receipt books or the annual audited accounts if the former has not survived. These are often filed with receipts and payments that are not necessary for preservation and should be weeded prior to their transfer to the Archive Service.

 

Records in this category should be transferred to the local Archive Service after the minimum retention period or once they become inactive.

 

Records to be destroyed

 

A large number and Town Council records can be destroyed once they become inactive or the minimum retention period expires. Financial records account for the majority of this category. These must be kept for a minimum of 6 years after the last entry (Limitation Act 1980 (as amended), VAT Act 1994 etc.), but may be retained for longer depending on local circumstances. Records not given a minimum retention period can be destroyed once there is no longer an administrative requirement for their custody.  If Council is unsure whether a document or series of records should be destroyed, then please contact the local Archive Service for further guidance.

 

To protect confidential information, all records assigned for disposal should be securely destroyed.  Paper records containing confidential information should be shredded or pulped, and not simply thrown out with other classes of records. Electronic or machine-readable records will require a two-step process for assured confidential destruction:

 

  • Deletion of the contents of digital files, and
  • The use of commercially available software applications to remove all residual data from the storage device. These processes may be outsourced to credible commercial companies who specialise in confidential destruction of records.

 

The Limitations Act 1980 (as amended) provides that legal claims may not be commenced after a specified period. The table below sets out the different limitation periods for different categories of claim.

 

Category Limitation Period
Negligence (and other “Torts”) 6 years
Defamation 1 year
Contract 6 years
Leases 12 years
Sums recoverable by statute 6 years
Personal injury 3 years
To recover land 12 years
Rent 6 years
Breach of Trust None

 

 

 

 

RETENTION PERIODS FOR COUNCIL DOCUMENTS

 

Records Minimum Retention period Action Reason
Administrative Minimum Retention period Action Reason
Minute books Indefinite Preserve Archive
Signed council and committee minutes Indefinite. Can be transferred to local Archive after 6 years or once they become inactive. Preserve Common practice
Draft minutes Until the date of confirmation of the minutes Destroy Operational
Agendas Until there is no longer an administrative requirement. Can be transferred to local Archive after 6 years or once they become inactive. Destroy Operational
Reports and other documents circulated with agendas Until there is no longer an administrative requirement. Destroy these reports if copies are already included with signed minutes Review Common practice
Councillors’ declarations of office 4 years or until they vacate office Destroy Operational
Register of electors Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Destroy Copies already in existence
Grouping orders Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Destroy Operational
Byelaws and orders Preserve one of each copy and transfer to local Archive once they become inactive Preserve Common practice
Policy documents Until there is no longer an administrative requirement. Destroy old versions. Review Operational
Title deeds more than 100 years old Indefinite.

Transfer to local Archive once they become inactive.

  

Preserve

 Audit/Management

Common practice
Title deeds less than 100 years old Indefinite.

Transfer to local Archive for review once they become inactive.

  

Review

 Audit/Management

Common practice
Property registers and terriers Indefinite.

Transfer to local Archive once they become inactive.

 Preserve Common practice
Maps, plans, and surveys of property owned by the council or meeting Indefinite.

Transfer to local Archive once they become inactive

 Preserve Common practice
General correspondence 6 Years after correspondence ends

 

 Destroy Operational
Complaints 6 Years after resolution of complaint Destroy Operational
Information Requests 6 Years after resolution of request Destroy Operational
Village/parish appraisals, plans, millennium projects and supporting papers Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review Operational
Planning applications and related papers for major controversial developments Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review with the view to destroy Operational
Planning applications for minor works where permission is refused 6 years Destroy Limitation Act 1980
Leases, agreements, contracts and wayleaves Indefinite Preserve Audit/Management
Parish council newsletter Indefinite.

Transfer one copy to local Archive.

 Preserve Common practice
Newsletter mailing list Retain until consent withdrawn or following regular review consent no longer provided Destroy Operational
Routine internal correspondence and papers Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review with the view to destroy Operational
Scale of fees and charges Until superseded by new charges Destroy Operational
Employers’ liability insurance policies 40 years after expiry date Destroy Employers’ Liability Act 1969

Employers’ Liability Regulations 1998
Risk assessments Once superseded by a new risk assessment or once inactive Destroy Operational
Personnel Retention period Action Reason
Personnel files 6 Years after termination of service Destroy Risk of investigation regarding any future litigation
Personnel files – annual leave 2 years Destroy Operational
Recruitment data

 

Successful

 

 

Unsuccessful

  

 

Add to personnel file

 

6 months after recruitment finalised plus current year

 Destroy Equalities Act
Financial Retention period Action Reason
Scales of fees and charges 6 years Destroy Management
Receipt and payment books Indefinite.

Transfer to local Archive once they become inactive

 Preserve Council financial regulations
Rate books Indefinite.

Transfer to local Archive once they become inactive

 Preserve Common practice
Receipt books of all kinds 6 years Destroy VAT
Annual audited accounts

 

 6 years. Destroy, but preserve if the receipt and payment books have not survived. Council financial regulations
Accounts and statements 6 years Destroy Council financial regulations
Vouchers before 1950 6 years Destroy Council financial regulations
Cash and petty cash books, rent books, postage and telephone books 6 years Destroy Tax, VAT, Limitations Act 1980 (as amended)

Council financial regulations
Receipt books of all kinds 6 years Destroy Council financial regulations
Postage and telephone books 6 years Destroy Council financial regulations
Bank statements including deposit/saving accounts 6 years Destroy Council financial regulations
Bank paying-in books Last completed Audit year Destroy Council financial regulations
Cheque book stubs Last completed Audit year Destroy Council financial regulations
Paid invoices 6 years Destroy VAT

Council financial regulations
Paid cheques 6 years Destroy Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)

Council financial regulations
VAT records 6 years Destroy VAT Act 1994
VAT claims 6 years Destroy VAT Act 1994
Time sheets Last completed Audit year Destroy Council financial regulations
Wage books 12 years Destroy Superannuation &

Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)
Members’ allowances register 6 years Destroy Tax, Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)
Quotations and tenders (successful) 6 years after contract ends Destroy Limitation Act 1980
Quotations and tenders (unsuccessful) 2 years Destroy Operational
Insurance policies While valid Destroy Operational
Certificate for Insurance against liability for employees 40 years from date on which insurance commenced or was renewed. Preserve The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 (SI. 2753), Management
Investments Indefinite Preserve Audit, Management
Parish Halls, Centres and Recreation Grounds Retention period Action Reason
Records relating to applications to:

·      Hire;

·      Letting diaries;

·      Copies of bills to hirers;

·      Records of tickets issued.

 6 years Review with the view to destroy VAT

Council financial regulations
Allotments Retention period Action Reason
Register & Plans Indefinite Preserve Audit, Management
Burial Grounds Retention period Action Reason
·      Register of fees collected;

·      Register of Burials;

·      Register of Purchased Graves;

·      Register/plan of Grave Spaces;

·      Register of Memorials;

·      Applications for interment;

·      Applications for right to erect memorials;

·      Disposal certificates;

·      Copy certificates of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial.

 Indefinite Preserve Archives, Local Authorities Cemetery Order 1977 (SI. 204)

Miscellaneous Retention period Action Reason

Marketing Consent Forms 3 years Destroy Best Practice
Maps created under the provision of the Rights of Way Act 1932

 

 Transfer to HRO once they become inactive Preserve Common practice
Papers concerning Rights of Way Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Destroy Operational
Community magazines or newsletters(not created by the parish council) Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review Operational
Charity papers Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review Operational
Press cuttings book Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review Operational
Photographs Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review Operational
Any records predating the establishment of Parish Councils (1894), e.g. poor law, surveyors of the highway, tithe maps and apportionments, enclosure awards etc. Transfer to local Archive as soon as possible Preserve Common practice
Records of other bodies such as burial boards, charities, fire brigades, Home Guard unit, local society or ad hoc committee Transfer to local Archive once they become inactive Preserve Common practice
Reports, guides, handbooks etc received from other organisations Until there is no longer an administrative requirement Review Operational

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adopted by Full Council on the 12th May 2026

To be reviewed by Full Council May 2027