I think this is also an issue for the Tate Archives where we hold not
only the institutional archives of the gallery but also numerous private
papers relating to artists, organisations and commercial galleries. As
I understand it these too are covered by the FOI Act which personally I
don't see as being in the general spirit of the act, i.e. increasing the
accountability of public bodies. Of course we would never accept
something that was to be closed indefinitely but if we are no longer
able to agree certain closure periods with depositors, that could
jeopardise the acquisition of some archive collections. Plus how are we
to interpret this retrospectively? I wonder whether this will be
ultimately tested in the courts as to exactly what records are deemed to
be held by the organisation.
As to draft documents, I would have thought they are covered by the Act
as information held by the organisation while they are still in
existence.
Alan
--------------------------
Alan Crookham
Gallery Records Curator
Tate Archive
Millbank
London
SW1P 4RG
call +44 (0) 20 7887 8833
fax +44 (0) 20 7887 8901
email [log in to unmask]
visit www.tate.org.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Carter [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 April 2004 11:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: FOI definition - what is held?
Especially in terms of information which is "held" by a public authority
but owned by someone else- eg material held on deposit by a library or
archive service which the depositor wishes to remain confidential.
It seems to me that many Archive Services, for example, are a little too
blase about this at present.
Alan Carter,
Records Manager,
University of Manchester and UMIST.
On 29 Apr 2004, at 10:10, Tony May wrote:
> Hi all
> The UK FOI act continually mentions information we hold, information
> held by an organisation. However it never defines the word "held".
>
> Has anyone obtained a definition of the word held?
>
> I am currently using the ISO 15489 definition of a record within our
> records management policy;
>
> Records ? information created, received and maintained as evidence or
> information by an organisation or person, in pursuance of legal
> obligations or in the transaction of business.
>
> To my mind this could be used as a definition of what is held by the
> organisation. However as "held" has not been defined I am looking for
> other opinions and thoughts.
>
> Please reply on list as I think this is a very interesting area and
> could create a good discussion.
>
> Thanks
> Tony May
> Documents Manager
> Hertfordshire County Council
> Phone: 01992 556 729
> Comnet 26729
>
>
>
>
>
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