Record Retention & Disposal Policy

Nov 16, 2018 | Access to Information

Document Retention and Disposal Schedule

Record

Minimum Retention period

Reason

Location

Disposal Method

Email enquiries & contact details

While they are useful and relevant

Management

Council Address

Delete

Minute books

Indefinite

Archive

Council Address

Archive at five year intervals with Devon Records Office

N/A

Agendas

5 years

Management

Council Address

delete

Scales of fees and charges

6 years

Management

Council address

Can be stored at Devon Records Office

bin

Receipt and Payment accounts

Indefinite

Archive

Council address

N/A

Receipt books

6 years

VAT

Council address

Bin

Bank statements

Last completed audit year

Audit

Council address

shred

Bank paying in books

Last completed audit year

Audit

Council address

shred

Cheque book stubs

Last completed audit year

Audit

Council address

Shred / destroy

Quotations and tenders

6 years

Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)

Council address

Shred / delete

Paid invoices

6 years

VAT

Council address

Shred / delete

Paid cheques

6 years

Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)

Council address

Shred / destroy

VAT records

6 years
(20 years for VAT on rents)

VAT

Council address

Shred / destroy

Petty cash, postage and telephone books

6 years

Tax, VAT, Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)

Council address

Shred / destroy

Timesheets

Three years (or Last completed audit year)

Audit (requirement) &
Personal injury (best practice)

Council address

Delete

Wages records

12 years

Superannuation

Council address

Delete / Destroy

Insurance policies

While valid

Management & legal proceedings

Council address

Delete / Shred

Certificates for insurance against liability for employees

& Insurance companies names and policy numbers

40 years from the date on which the insurance commenced or was renewed

The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 (SI.2753)

Management,

Council address

Delete / Shred

Accident & Incident Reports

20 years

Potential Claims

Confidential waste. A list will be kept of documents disposed of to meet GDPR reqiremets GN36.

Playground Inspection Reports

18 years

Negligence and other torts

Council address

Delete / shred

Investments

Indefinite

Audit, Management

Council address

N/A

Title deeds, lease agreements, contracts

Indefinite

Audit, Management

Council address

N/A

Members allowances register

6 years

Tax Limitation Act 1980 (as amended)

Council address

Delete / shred

Planning documents

Retain PC response and other docs as below

  • Retain plans and decision notice until development completion

  • Retain appeal decisions.

  • Retain refusal documents until end of appeal expiry period

In practice three years or longer for’ important’ applications.

To monitor the planning process

Council address

South Hams District Council Website

Delete / Destroy

Information from other organisations

While they are useful and relevant

Management

Council address

Delete / Destroy

Correspondence

While they are useful and relevant.

As for Audit & Planning.

Management

Council address

Delete / Shred

Documentation relating to staff

While they are useful and relevant or required for legal reasons.

References, tax, National Insurance Contributions, pension, legal claim (usually within 6 months of ending employment, 6 years if Limitations Act 1980 applies)

Council address

Delete / Shred

Local historical information

Local Government (Records) Act 1962

Council address.

Can be stored by County Record Office.

N/A

Burial ground

  • Register of burials

  • Register of purchased graves

  • Register/plan of grave spaces

  • Register of memorials

  • Register of fees collected

  • Disposal certificates

  • Copy certificates of grant of exclusive right of burial

  • Any specified rights relating to graves

  • Register of disinterments

indefinite

Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977

Council address

N/A

Documents retained because of actual or risk of legal process

Negligence and other ‘torts’

6 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

Defamation

1 year

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

contract

6 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

leases

12 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

Sums recoverable by statute

6 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

Personal injury

3 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

To recover land

12 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

Rent

6 years

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

Breach of trust

none

Limitation period

N/A

Delete / Shred

National Association of Local Councils Legal advice ‘Local Council Documents and Records’ states that:

For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that some limitation periods can be extended. Examples include:

Where individuals do not become aware of damage until a later date (e.g. in the case of disease).

Where damage is hidden (e.g. to a building).

Where a person is a child or suffers from a mental incapacity.

Where there has been a mistake by both parties or

Where one party has defrauded another or concealed facts.

In such circumstances, individual councils will need to weigh

(i) the costs of storing relevant documents and (ii) the risks of:

Claims being made.

The value of the claims.

The inability to defend any claims made should relevant documentation be destroyed.1

Para 2.7.6. of the Code of Practice on the management of records issued under section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 states that

‘Authorities should be able to explain why they no longer hold information, either by

reference to a record of its destruction or by reference to the authority’s policy. If destruction is carried out by a contractor, the authority should obtain proof, for example, a certificate of destruction. 2

Document Storage, Retrieval and Security

Electronic records are stored on a password protected laptop in labelled folders. Folders are backed up regularly to a cloud drive.

Email is organised in labelled folders and backed up by the service provider.

Paper records are kept at the Council address in labelled folders and files.

References:

  • NALC Legal Topic Note 40, 2013, updated August 20223

  • Code of Practice on the Management of Records issued under Section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Version History

  • Approved 6 November 2018 MN154/18.

  • Reviewed 9 March 2026

1 https://www.nalc.gov.uk/resource/local-council-documents-and-records.html

2 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6114c3278fa8f506c4d84100/Freedom_Information_Code_Practice_Web_Accessible.pdf

3 https://www.nalc.gov.uk/resource/local-council-documents-and-records.html