Richard III Legacy Project
What is the Legacy Project?
The project has been set up by the KRIII Project Board to ensure that all the important
documentation created from the discovery of the remains in 2012 to the reburial activities is
preserved for future generations. It is exciting to think that the work done in the 21 st century will
still be available and talked about in hundreds of years – as King Richard still is!
Where will the archive be stored?
The KRIII Project archive will be held in secure and environmentally controlled conditions at the
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland based in Wigston Magna. This is the archive
service covering both counties and the city and holds thousands of records dating from long before
King Richard’s time to the present day. The archivists there will be collecting, cataloguing and
storing the material for future generations.
Will the archive be publicly accessible?
No – the archive will not be immediately accessible to the public.
Some parts of the work which are already in the public domain such as the Orders of Service,
invitations and press cuttings will be available to view. Most material will still be sensitive and
confidential including procurement and financial records, contracts, event plans and
correspondence (including emails). There will be no public access to much of this information and
some records will remain closed for many years in order to protect the confidentiality of the
individuals and organisations involved.
If the material can’t be viewed why is it being kept?
We are asked this a lot. In order to provide future generations with a full record, the material
transferred to the archive should be as complete as possible. This does not mean everything will be
publicly available immediately. However, if it is not preserved in the first place, it cannot be
recreated at a later date, especially once the Project Board is disbanded and individuals move on.
The Richard III archive is an important part of the heritage of the city and county as well as being of
national and international interest.
How will requests for information be handled?
We will make agreements with the different organisations and individuals; however, we would
expect most requests to be handled as part of our normal work at the Record Office. We will
process requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and other relevant legislation;
however, various exemptions will apply to most of the information, for example, it would not be
lawful to disclose information damaging to a company’s commercial interests. See our separate
factsheet on archival material and legislation.
We are always happy to discuss particular concerns and ensure that all parties are satisfied with
arrangements before material is transferred.
Jenny Moran, Senior Archivist (Access and Information)
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland
Jenny.moran@leics.gov.uk 0116 2571080
Records Management of Richard III Project Board Records
What is Records Management?
In the archival administration sense records and information management refers to the process by
which we deal with records that are no longer in current use but need to be kept for statutory or
other purposes.
They are not necessarily archives as they may not be selected for permanent preservation.
However, they could be required as an evidence base, for example, if decisions were challenged or
financial matters investigated.
The Role of the Project Board
The Board need to consider how they want to identify and handle this material. It may be that most
or all financial records are held discretely and that certain files (e.g. on procurement) can be
identified at an early stage.
Material that is private (i.e. not integral to the work of the Board) should be privately deposited by
the individual. This will highlight it as separate to the official records and give greater protection
from disclosure under access laws. NB: this is not a way to evade legal responsibilities – it only
applies to genuinely privately created material such as photographs taken by an individual in their
private capacity or their own personal property such as a diary.
In addition to identifying material, there will also be the question of how to respond to requests
relating to it. These may be Freedom of Information requests from anyone, or could be
investigations relating to the running of the project.
Once the Project board has been disbanded it will no longer be possible to consult its members and
this problem will become magnified as time goes on and relevant people cannot be contacted.
The Role of the Records Office
The Record Office is competent to advise on modern records material as part of our usual appraisal
of the material. Robin Jenkins managed the modern records service in the County Council until a
recent restructure and Jenny Moran has extensive modern records experience in Leicestershire and
Northamptonshire local authorities.
We are also able to respond to general enquiries at the direction of the Project Board members and
can advise on information which may be liable to disclosure under Freedom of Information Laws.
We are also able to advise on relevant exemptions within the legislation.
Recommendations:
 The Record Office staff work with Board members to identify the material that may fall into
this category. Review and closure periods can then be set.
 Robin and Jenny work on agreements with Project Board members and organisations about
consultation and disclosure.
 The default action where an information request has been received and the relevant Board
member cannot be contacted is that the request is dealt with under Leicestershire County
Council’s policies and procedures.
 After ten years (or at a set review date) all the material can be reappraised and added to the
archive where appropriate.
Jenny Moran and Robin Jenkins
Senior Archivists, Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland
April 2015
Richard III Legacy Project
Information of Archival Value
In order to provide future generations with a full record, the material transferred to the archive
should be as complete as possible. This does not mean everything will be publicly available
immediately. Some records will remain closed to general inspection for many years in order to
protect the confidentiality of the individuals and organisations involved.
This is a brief guide to help project board members evaluate the information produced. It is not
intended to be exhaustive and will only cover the main types of records. Further guidance will be
available from the Record Office at any time.
Starting the Project
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Documentation from the beginning of the project - such as its suggested outline.
Where did the idea for the project come from?
Lists of board members and stakeholders.
Formulation of the project board
Project planning documents such as scoping records, charts and budgetary information
The Project in Operation
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Agendas and minutes
Associated reports
Financial records
Other meeting records e.g. with external contractors or stakeholders
Official correspondence (hardcopy and via email) with the project
Communications relating to project decisions and discussions between board members
Project Outcomes
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Planning for memorial and tomb in cathedral
Planning for the visitors' centre
Other proposals and suggestions for commemoration and exploitation of the discovery of the
remains
Plans for public ceremonies
Records relating to events e.g. plans, guest lists, invitations, menus
Outreach and Publicity
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Press releases and articles
Photographs
Press and media coverage
Social media contributions
Public feedback and opinion
End of Project
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Documentation relating to winding up of the project
Final decisions and outstanding issues
Evaluation information and more informal expressions of opinion from board members and
stakeholders
Richard III Legacy Project
Access Legislation
For the legacy project to be a success the archive must be as complete as possible. Richard III has
been a fascinating figure for over 500 years and it is exciting to think that in decades to come the
work of the project board will be an important resource, permitting historians and members of the
public to consider how the 21st century commemorated the discovery of the remains of England's
most controversial monarch.
There are three main pieces of legislation which apply to the information produced by the project.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004
(EIR) apply to public authorities such as central and local government, universities and many other
organisations performing public services. These laws cover most types of information. The Data
Protection Act 1998 covers personal data (information relating to living individuals) and applies to
most organisations holding such information.
The records to be accumulated by the project will probably fall within one of these categories, so
careful thought must be given to questions of public access and disclosure before information is
transferred to the Record Office. There are various exemptions and exceptions to disclosure of
some information which will protect the project and its stakeholders from the adverse consequences
of disclosure of the inappropriate disclosure of information.
Generally available records
Information already in the public domain, such as published articles, social media output and press
releases cannot be confidential and so should be freely available.
Similarly, the normal business of the project, such as signed or agreed minutes, planning records
and some reports should have the presumption of openness.
Closed or restricted records
On occasion the board may have had access to information which it feels should not yet be made
public. These cases must be flagged up with the record office as soon as possible, so a suitable
closure period can be set.
Some information, such as designs for the memorial or the visitors centre, may be commercially
sensitive and, therefore, not made generally available.
The most controversial information is likely to relate to the decision making process and exchanges
of opinion between board members, or between the project staff and members of the public. Access
legislation contains strong protection for individuals expressing private opinions and public servants
discussing the pros and cons of different courses of action. Access should be considered carefully
and the Record Office asked to ensure that material is restricted or redacted so that individuals
involved are not identified inappropriately. Record Office staff can advise on appropriate courses of
action.
Robin Jenkins and Jenny Moran
Senior Archivists