DATA RETENTION POLICY

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1. Introduction

The Town 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 Town Council.

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

• Scope
• Responsibilities
• Retention Schedule

2. Scope of the Policy

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

This policy has been drawn up within the context of:

• Freedom of Information
• General Data Protection Regulation

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

3. Responsibilities

The Town 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 Town Council, and the Clerk is 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.

4. Retention Schedule

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Town Council is required to maintain a retention schedule listing the record series which it creates during 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.

The Clerk is expected to manage the current record keeping systems using the retention schedule and to take account of the different retention periods when creating new record keeping systems. This retention schedule refers to record series regardless of the media in which they are stored.

Planning applications are retained by the Torridge District Council and Devon County Council. There is no requirement to retain duplicates locally. All Town 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 above (see Correspondence)

All documents that are no longer required for administrative purposes will be shredded (if confidential) or recycled waste.

5.    Document Record