Approved 04/03/2026
1.1 The Council accumulates a vast amount of information and data during the course of its everyday activities. This includes data generated internally in addition to information obtained from individuals and external organisations. This information is recorded in various different types of document.
1.2 Records created and maintained by the Council are an important asset and as such measures need to be undertaken to safeguard this information. Properly managed records provide authentic and reliable evidence of the Council’s transactions and are necessary to ensure it can demonstrate accountability.
1.3 Documents may be retained in either ‘hard’ paper form or in electronic forms. For the purpose of this policy, ‘document’ and ‘record’ refers to both hard copy and electronic records.
1.4 It is imperative that documents are retained for an adequate period of time. If documents are destroyed prematurely the Council and individual officers concerned could face prosecution for not complying with legislation and it could cause operational difficulties, reputational damage and difficulty in defending any claim brought against the Council.
1.5 In contrast to the above the Council should not retain documents longer than is necessary. Timely disposal should be undertaken to ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations so that personal information is not retained longer than necessary. This will also ensure the most efficient use of limited storage space.
2.1 The aim of this document is to provide a working framework to determine which documents are:
2.2 There are some records that do not need to be kept at all or that are routinely destroyed in the course of business. This usually applies to information that is duplicated, unimportant or only of a short-term value. Unimportant records of information include:
2.3 Duplicated and superseded material such as stationery, manuals, drafts, forms, address books and reference copies of annual reports may be destroyed.
2.4 Records should not be destroyed if the information can be used as evidence to prove that something has happened. If destroyed the disposal needs to be disposed of under the General Data Protection Regulations
3.1 Councils are responsible for determining whether to retain or dispose of documents and should undertake a review of documentation at least on an annual basis to ensure that any unnecessary documentation being held is disposed of under the General Data Protection Regulations.
3.2 Councils should ensure that all employees are aware of the retention/disposal schedule.
4.1 Councils should have in place an adequate system for documenting the activities of their service. This system should take into account the legislative and regulatory environments to which they work.
4.2 Records of each activity should be complete and accurate enough to allow employees and their successors to undertake appropriate actions in the context of their responsibilities to:
4.3 To facilitate this the following principles should be adopted:
4.4 The retention schedules in Appendix A: List of Documents for Retention or Disposal provide guidance on the recommended minimum retention periods for specific classes of documents and records. These schedules have been compiled from recommended best practice from the Public Records Office, the Records Management Society of Great Britain and in accordance with relevant legislation.
4.5 Whenever there is a possibility of litigation, the records and information that are likely to be affected should not be amended or disposed of until the threat of litigation has been removed.
5.1 Documents should only be disposed of if reviewed in accordance with the following:
5.2 When documents are scheduled for disposal the method of disposal should be appropriate to the nature and sensitivity of the documents concerned. A record of the disposal will be kept to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations.
5.3 Documents can be disposed of by any of the following methods:
5.4 The following principles should be followed when disposing of records:
5.5 Records should be maintained of appropriate disposals. These records should contain the following information:
6.1 The Data Protection Act 2018 (‘Fifth Principle’) requires that personal information must not be retained longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it was originally obtained. Section 1 of the Data Protection Act defines personal information as:
Data that relates to a living individual who can be identified:
It includes any expression of opinion about the individual and any indication of the intentions of the Council or other person in respect of the individual.
6.2 The Data Protection Act provides an exemption for information about identifiable living individuals that is held for research, statistical or historical purposes to be held indefinitely provided that the specific requirements are met.
6.3 Councils are responsible for ensuring that they comply with the principles of the under the General Data Protection Regulations namely:
6.4 External storage providers or archivists that are holding Council documents must also comply with the above principles of the General Data Protection Regulations.
7.1 In general once a document has been scanned on to a document image system the original becomes redundant. There is no specific legislation covering the format for which local government records are retained following electronic storage, except for those prescribed by HM Revenue and Customs.
7.2 As a general rule hard copies of scanned documents should be retained for three months after scanning.
7.3 Original documents required for VAT and tax purposes should be retained for six years unless a shorter period has been agreed with HM Revenue and Customs.
8.1 It is planned to review, update and where appropriate amend this document on a regular basis (at least every three years in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Management of Records issued by the Lord Chancellor).
8.2 This document has been compiled from various sources of recommended best practice and with reference to the following documents and publications:
9.1 The full list of the Council’s documents and the procedures for retention or disposal can be found in Appendix A: List of Documents for Retention and Disposal. This is updated regularly in accordance with any changes to legal requirements.
This retention schedule refers to record series regardless of the media in which they are stored.
| Document | Minimum Retention | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Minute Books | Indefinite | Archive |
| Annual Accounts | Indefinite | Archive |
| Annual Return | Indefinite | Archive |
| Bank statements | 7 years | Audit/management |
| Cheque book stubs | Last completed Audit | Management |
| Paying in books | Last completed Audit | Management |
| Quotations | 7 years | Audit |
| Paid invoices | 7 years | Audit/VAT |
| VAT records | 7 years | Audit/VAT |
| Salary records | 7 years | Audit |
| Tax & NI records | 7 years | Audit |
| Insurance policies | Whilst valid | Audit |
| Cert of Employers Liability | 40 years | Audit/legal |
| Cert of public liability | 40 years | Audit/legal |
| Assets register | Indefinite | Audit |
| Deeds, leases | Indefinite | Audit |
| Declarations of acceptance | Term of Office + 1 year | Management |
| Members register of interests’ book | Term of office + 1 | Management |
| Complaints | 1 year | Management |
| General information | 3 months | Management |
| Routine correspondence & e-mails | 3 months | Management |
All planning applications and relevant decision notices are available at Cumberland Council. There is no requirement to retain duplicates locally. All Parish Council recommendations in connection with these applications are recorded in the Council minutes and are retained indefinitely. Correspondence received in connection with applications will be retained as stated in the above schedule.
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