Guidelines for parish clerks on the retention and preservation of the records
of town & parish councils and parish meetings
New clerks are often faced with large quantities of records which have accumulated over many
years. These guidelines offer advice on which records should be kept and which can be
destroyed. They give the recommended action to be taken when the records are no longer
needed for regular consultation. Where the final action is "preserve" it is recommended that the
record is deposited with Gloucestershire Archives as soon as is practical, where it will form part
of the parish council archive. Where the final action is “review” please consult Gloucestershire
Archives for advice. Where complete and detailed minute and account books have survived
there should be less need to preserve other records, but each clerk will be best placed to judge
which local issues need fuller documentation.
The fast developing world of information communication technology presents a challenge for the
parish council and Gloucestershire Archives in terms of provision of long-term and permanent
storage. It is dangerous to rely upon retention of data on magnetic tape, floppy disks or optical
disks. The physical longevity of any data storage medium cannot be guaranteed, and rapid
changes in software and hardware systems can very quickly render the storage medium
obsolete. This makes it vital to ensure that arrangements are made for migration so that the
data can be accessed in the future. It is also important to retain metadata1 along with the data
itself. The National Archives is actively addressing the issue of preservation of electronic
records as archives of the future. For the moment, we recommend that records submitted to us
in electronic form should be in pdf rather than a proprietary format such as WORD.
Gloucestershire Archives staff will be pleased to discuss any questions arising from these
guidelines and to advise on storage or disposal of records. For further advice, and to make
arrangements to deposit records, please contact the cataloguing team on: 01452
425081/425294
Type of record
Final action
Signed annual council and committee minutes
preserve
Agendas
destroy
but if minutes do not survive,
preserve
Reports/documents circulated with agendas
review
but if copies are included with
signed minutes, destroy
Councillors’ declarations of office
destroy
but if minutes do not survive,
preserve
Nomination forms for candidates for election
to the council
destroy
but if minutes do not survive,
preserve
Register of electors
destroy
but if annotated with extra
information, review
Byelaws and orders
preserve
one copy of each
1
Notes
Metadata is data about the data, eg the file format, date of creation and name of the person who created the file.
Title deeds more than 100 years old
preserve
Gloucestershire Archives will
not receive deeds still needed
to prove title
Title deeds less than 100 years old
review
Gloucestershire Archives will
not receive deeds still needed
to prove title
Contracts, wayleaves, agreements or other
legal documents other than title deeds
review
Gloucestershire Archives will
not receive legal documents
still in force
Insurance policies
destroy
Property registers, terriers
preserve
Maps, plans and surveys of property owned
by the council or meeting
preserve
Precept books and contribution orders
destroy
Account books and receipt and payment
books
preserve
Financial returns to district auditors
destroy
but if general accounts do not
survive, preserve
Rent books
destroy
but if general accounts do not
survive, review
Cash and petty cash books
destroy
but if general accounts do not
survive, review
Vouchers
review
for possible preservation of a
representative sample
Routine correspondence and papers
preserve
for possible preservation of a
representative sample
Correspondence and papers on important
local issues or activities
preserve
at the Clerk’s discretion
Planning applications for minor works
destroy
Planning applications and related papers for
controversial developments
preserve
Maps created under the provisions of the
Rights of Way Act 1932
preserve
Community magazines or newsletters
preserve
one copy of every issue
Press-cuttings books
preserve
this does not imply that clerks
have a duty to compile these
at the Clerk’s discretion
Photographs
preserve
Reports, guides, handbooks etc received from
other organisations
review
Records of other bodies such as a burial
board, charity, fire brigade, Home Guard unit,
local society or ad hoc committee
preserve
Any records dating from before 1894 now held preserve
by the town or parish council or parish
meeting such as poor law or surveyor’s
records, an inclosure award etc
Gloucestershire Archives
Clarence Row
Alvin Street
GLOUCESTER
GL1 3DW
e-mail: archives@gloucestershire.gov.uk
please notify Gloucestershire
Archives of the existence of
these records