Recordkeeping In Brief 25 - Disposing of records of a Minister's office

• Overview
• Authorisation for disposal
• Procedure for disposing of records
• Determining future public access to State archives
• Obtaining boxes and templates for listing
• How to box and list State archives
• Arranging collection or delivery of State archives

Overview

Records created or kept in a Minister's Office should be appropriately disposed of when a Minister retires or otherwise leaves office. Records relating to a Minister's portfolio responsibilities are authorised for disposal under a general retention and disposal authority. Records which are required as State archives under this disposal authority will need to be transferred to State Records when they are no longer required for administrative purposes by the Minister’s office. These records must be boxed and listed prior to transfer to State Records. Directions regarding future access to these records must also be determined before the records are transferred.

Authorisation for disposal

NSW Minister's Offices can use the General Retention and Disposal Authority: Records of a Minister’s Office (GDA 13) for the disposal of records relating to a Minister's portfolio responsibilities. GDA 13 can be used in conjunction with the general retention and disposal authorities which cover financial, personnel and other administrative records.

Procedure for disposing of records

The table below describes the steps to take to dispose of a Minister's records.

Determining future public access to State archives

Records required as State archives need to be assessed for future public access. While most records are open to public access after 30 years some records, such as those containing sensitive personal information, should be closed longer than 30 years.

Access directions

Access decisions are implemented by making access directions. Access directions either open the records after 30 years or close them for a longer specified period. Access directions are required when transferring records as State archives.

Forms for making access directions

To obtain access direction forms email the Access Policy Officer  or telephone 8247 8616.

Authorising access directions

Access directions will need to be authorised by the Minister.

Obtaining boxes and templates for listing

State Records supplies boxes for transferring records as State archives. The table below indicates the two standard types of box available and what they are generally suitable for.

To obtain standard boxes contact:

Control Support Officer
Phone 9673 1788
Fax 9673 1760
Email controlso@records.nsw.gov.au

Note: Please try and estimate how many boxes are required before contacting us.

To discuss alternative packaging arrangements contact:

Senior Archivist Transfer and Custody 
Phone 9673 1788
Fax 9673 1760
Email transfer@records.nsw.gov.au

Note: Large packing boxes should not be used, as they can be an OH&S issue.

To obtain a template for listing the records contact:

the Senior Archivist Transfer and Custody (see above).

How to box and list State archives

Putting the records in order

The records should be boxed and listed in the orderin which they were created and used, that is arranged according to the system by which they were used or stored when they were in active use. With numbered files, for example, this will be in file number order.

Filling boxes

Fill boxes so that there is space for your hand between the contents and one side of the box. Boxes should not be over-filled as records may be damaged and the box lids will not close properly. 

Numbering boxes

Each box should be initially numbered in a simple sequence starting with one and continuing in number order. Letters of the alphabet should not be used as part of a number (for example, ‘16A’). Making sure all records to be boxed and listed are put into order before boxing starts should help to avoid this.

Listing the records

Each file or record added to a box must be listed on a consignment list. A consignment list is a detailed list of all the records to be transferred to State Records in one group (or consignment) at the one time. The list should show the order in which the records are physically placed in the boxes. There is a template for consignment lists or you can create a Word table or Excel spreadsheet which has the information required.

Information required in a consignment list

The information required about records in a consignment list is:

• container number: usually the box number as discussed above
• item number or control symbol: usually an item number, such as a file number, but may be another kind of control symbol, depending on the system of arrangement and control for the records
• item title or description: the file title or some other description that clearly indicates the content of the record, do not use abbreviations or acronyms
• start date: the date the record was created such as the date the file was started or the earliest date in the folder
• end date: the date the record stopped being created such as the date the file was closed or finished or the last date in the folder
• access direction number: the number of the access direction, which covers the record.

Consignment lists must be supplied in electronic form.

Adding State Records numbers to the boxes and list

When the transfer is approved and State Records has agreed to take the records a unique two part number will be assigned. This number, in conjunction with the box number, will be the way these records will be identified in future. Together the numbers look like this:

NRS17065/1/4

This number would be used to identify the fourth box of the first consignment of New South Wales Record Series 17065.

Before collection or delivery, each box should be labelled with the relevant State Records numbers. The consignment list should also include the series and consignment numbers provided by State Records as well as the name of the Minister. If you are not using the consignment list template this information can be included in a header on on the first page of the list.

Arranging collection or delivery of State archives

When all requirements for transferring State archives have been met and State Records has agreed to take the records arrangements for the delivery or collection of the records will be negotiated with your contact person.

© State of New South Wales through the State Records Authority, 2003.
This work may be freely reproduced and distributed for most purposes, however some restrictions apply.
ISSN 1440-3978