Since The National Archives has been mentioned, just to clarify that we do
not take in local planning and building control records, which would fall within
the remit of our colleagues in local authority archive services. If you are
looking at this issue, please contact them not us!
List members might also care to look at the recent discussion on this point on
the archives-nra list.
Straying off strictly DP issues slightly here, but I would endorse the view that
there are strong grounds for retaining such records beyond the period
narrowly required for building and planning application enforcement.
As long as a building exists, both the authority and the current
owner/occupier may have significant practical reasons for wanting to access
this material (where are the drains, when was that alteration carried out,
what is the depth of the foundations, can the owner positively demonstrate to
a potential purchaser that BC has been complied with, listed building status
etc etc).
Equally, when a building no longer exists, there may be significant value for
historical, architectural and other types of research, or indeed continued
operational reasons (marking the presence of infilled cellar voids, or possible
land contamination, in the case of certain types of industrial buildings).
This illustrates the dangers of local authorities having a departmental, as
opposed to corporate, approach to records retention. I would also be a little
cautious about the cost benefits of mass backscanning, particularly for older
records but again, perhaps that's one for discussion on the records
management list.
s.33 has been mentioned as one possible route to continued retention, and if
this is approached with suitable care, there should be no need for the
purposes mentioned above to conflict with DP requirements.
Kevin Mulley
Accreditation & Standards Manager
Archives Sector Development
The National Archives
Kew
Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU
Tel +44 (0)20 8392 5330 x2635
Fax +44 (0)20 8392 1970
Websites: <http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk>
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