Records and information are vital to the effective operation of the council. Records are the basis on which decisions are made, services provided and policies developed. A record can be on paper, digital or a physical object.
The councils are required to retain certain data, usually for a specified amount of time. However, we should not retain data (especially personal data) for longer than we need it. Retaining data too long can be unlawful, expose us to risk as well as be a cost to the council.
The Data Retention, Storage and Disposal Policy sets out the councils’ guiding principles on data management, reflecting the legal and commercial framework in which we operate. The Retention and Disposal Schedule lists the types of record or information the councils hold and how long we should keep them. It will help you understand retention periods for different categories of personal data.
