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St Helen Without Parish Council

Policies and Documents

Document Retention

The Parish Council recognises 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.

  1. Responsibilities
  2. Retention Schedule – Documents
  3. Retention Schedule – Emails

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 the implementation of this policy is the Clerk to the Parish Council, and they are required to manage the Council’s records in such a way as to promote compliance with this policy so that information will be retrieved easily, appropriately and in a timely manner.

Retention Schedule – Documents

Document Type Examples Retention Period Retention Format Disposal Method Statutory/Best Practice Reference
Governance & Administration Minutes (signed paper copies) Permanent Paper + Digital PDF Archive, do not destroy Local Government Act 1972
Agendas 5 years Digital PDF Secure delete Best practice
Reports & supporting papers 5 years Digital/Paper Secure shredding Best practice
Parish policies & standing orders Until superseded + 1 year Digital PDF Secure delete Recommended by NALC
Document Type Examples Retention Period Retention Format Disposal Method Statutory/Best Practice Reference
Financial Records Annual accounts & audit returns Permanent Digital & Paper Archive Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015
Bank statements, paying-in books 7 years Paper/Digital Secure shredding HMRC guidance
Invoices & receipts 7 years Paper/Digital Secure shredding HMRC guidance
VAT records 6 years Paper/Digital Secure shredding HMRC guidance
Insurance Insurance policies (current & expired) 6 years after expiry Digital/Paper Secure shredding Limitation Act 1980
Insurance claims (successful & unsuccessful) 6 years after settlement Digital/Paper Secure shredding Limitation Act 1980
Certificates of Employers’ Liability 40 years Digital & Paper Archive, do not destroy Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998
Human Resources Employee contracts 6 years after leaving Paper/Digital Secure shredding Employment Rights Act 1996
Payroll records 6 years Digital/Paper Secure shredding HMRC guidance
Staff appraisals & HR notes 2 years Digital Secure delete Best practice
Planning Parish responses to consultations n/a These are available at the District Council so are not required locally. n/a n/a
Legal Documents Leases, deeds, licences Permanent Paper + Digital Scan Archive, do not destroy Limitation Act 1980
Health & Safety Risk assessments 3 years Digital/Paper Secure shredding HSE guidance
Accident books & incident reports 3 years after incident Paper/Digital Secure shredding RIDDOR requirements
Data Protection Subject Access Requests 2 years Digital Secure delete UK GDPR
Data breach records 6 years Digital Secure delete ICO guidance

Retention Schedule – Emails

Email Type Examples Recommended Retention Rationale / Reference
Routine / Informal General enquiries, meeting arrangements, invitations, admin updates Up to 6 months Best practice: delete once actioned unless there’s a legal or operational reason to keep
Operational / Project-based Emails relating to projects, events, community consultations 1–2 years (or until project closure) Retain for audit trail and reference purposes
Financial / Legal Impact Emails supporting invoices, contracts, complaints, FOI requests 6 years Limitation Act 1980 & HMRC guidance if linked to financial records
HR & Staffing Emails Recruitment, grievances, disciplinary correspondence 6 years after employment ends Employment Rights Act 1996
Freedom of Information / Subject Access Requests Emails containing disclosure material 2 years after resolution ICO guidance & GDPR accountability
Newsletters & Notifications Mailing list subscriptions, event updates Delete after use No operational or legal need to retain

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