Local Government Recordkeeping Overview: Importance and Responsibilities

1. Information Management Overview for Local Government Allegra Huxtable Manager Government Recordkeeping Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office

2. Overview • Why is recordkeeping important • Types of records • Recordkeeping responsibilities • When you should make records

3. Managing Information is Everybody Responsibility • Managing records is everybody's responsibility • All types of documents are records, email, websites, plans, CAD Files • All Local Government records are State Records • Councils Records Management Policy based on legislation

4. Council Records are State Records • Managed using a Retention and Disposal Schedule • It is illegal to destroy a State record without the permission of the State archivist. • Do not destroy, alter or delete records unless authorised to do so.And that includes email!

5. Good Recordkeeping is good Governance • Poor recordkeeping is a business risk • Good recordkeeping is essential for good government and good business

6. Right to Information Act 2009 • Replaced the Freedom of Information Act • Created a framework of disclosure of information for the Tasmanian Community • Mandates proactive release of information - people have a right to information about there government agencies

7. Inquiry blames Gosford Council for fatal road collapse Posted Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:32pm AEDT The section of the Old Pacific Highway collapsed during heavy storms in the region. (ABC TV) An independent inquiry has blamed a local council for a road collapse that killed a family on the New South Wales central coast in 2007. Adam Holt, Rosyln Bragg, their two daughters and their nephew were killed when a section of the Old Pacific Highway collapsed during storms at Somersby in June 2007. Late last year, a coroner found Gosford Council responsible for the drowning deaths of the five people when the section of road caved in. The Coroner recommended an inquiry into the organisation. The report into Gosford Council found its inadequate reporting practices were a major factor which resulted in the collapse. The report shows the council's poor procedures led to a failure to upgrade some of its key road infrastructure - which led to the road collapse. The inquiry found 800,000 electronic documents were stored on individual computer drives rather than a central database. The council is introducing new systems and their implementation will be monitored by the Department of Local Government.

8. Port Phillip Council could not properly manage Triangle - Ombudsman The St Kilda Triangle site as it stands today. THE Ombudsman has slammed Port Phillip Council’s handling of the now-defunct St Kilda Triangle development. Ombudsman George Brouwer’s report, released today, said the council had “poor record-keeping” and that conflicts of interest were not correctly identified during the planning stages under the previous council. “The council’s poor procurement and contract management practices were highlighted during my investigation into the St Kilda Triangle,” Mr Brouwer said. “I also question whether the City of Port Phillip had either the capacity or the expertise to manage the tender process.” The report, released together with an investigation into the Kew Cottages development, made 18 recommendations to the State Government, some around contract processes. It also recommended that the council, the Department of Human Services and Major Projects Victoria “review their file management practices in relation to procurement processes to ensure the standards meet the requirements of the Public Records Act 1973”. The present council voted to “kill” the development in December last year, with a payout of $5 milliongoing to the Citta Property Group

9. Why Good information management • Improves operational efficiency • Supports accountability • Supports consistent delivery of services • Aids discovery for reuse of information • Supports business continuity in event of a disaster • Supports access over time for business use and corporate memory

10. Types of Documents/Records Records and documents created or received by the department can generally be divided into three different types: Business Documents – which relate to the business of the department and must be retained as a record; Short-term value documents – documents which are used to facilitate departmental business but are of a trivial nature or of such short-term value that it does not support or contribute to the business functions of the department; Personal documents -for an individual employee which have no relevance to the business of the agency.

11. Examples Business Documents:final reports, discussion papers, policies, procedures, memos, email documenting decisions or actions as a part of your work Short term value Documents:copies of documents created by other business units HR, Finance, ITS, meeting appointments Personal Documents:your CV, receipt from paying your phone bill, emails about lets do lunch!

12. Who is responsible? • All staff at Council have a recordkeeping responsibility • Individual employees should create records which adequately document the business activities in which they take part

13. Recordkeeping responsibilities Organisational responsibilities Records Management Policies Recordkeeping Systems Recordkeeping Review

14. So what should you do? • Make records to support what you do • Put your records in your recordkeeping system. • Outlook is not a recordkeeping system • Network drives are not a recordkeeping system

15. What you shouldn’t do • Delete, destroy or alter records without authority • Remove records without permission • Lose or misplace records that are in your care • Provide inappropriate access to restricted records

16. When should you make a record? You need to make a record to show: • what happened • What was decided or recommended • What advice or instruction was given • When did it happen, i.e. the date and time of the event • Who was involved • The order of events and/or decisions

17. Unsure? • Does it relate to my work • Did I write or send it in the course of my work • Am I required to act on it • Is it official correspondence I have received • Is it something I have used to do my work or reach a decision

18. So where should you keep records? Records are assets belonging to the council, do not hoard them!! Keep them in your recordkeeping system!

19. Questions Email grk@education.tas.gov.au