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Finance retention schedule

Version 8.0, adopted February 2026, expires end February 2028. Comprising: Audit (AUD), Finance (FIN) and Procurement (PROC).


A PDF version of this retention schedule, including full version history, is held in the EDRM Retention Schedules folder.

See an explanation of the 6+ Rule and all other standard disposition codes.

Financial provision management

FIN 01.01: Maintaining financial ledgers

Disposition: ACTION+15

Example(s):

  • Revenue Financial Ledgers
  • Capital Financial Ledgers

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 01.02: Closing down financial ledgers

Disposition: 6+

Examples: None given

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 01.03: Managing and administering grant funding and claims administration (excluding ERDF and European grants)

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Expenditure records
  • Reports to funding body

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 01.04: Managing and administering ERDF grant funding and claims administration

Disposition: CASE+6

Example(s):

  • Expenditure records
  • Reports to funding body
  • 2007-2013 programme: destroy on 31 December 2025
  • 2014-2020 programme: destroy on 31 December 2033

Rationale: European Union requirement

FIN 01.05: Managing and administering other European grant funding and claims administration

Disposition: TERMS+12

Example(s):

  • Expenditure records
  • Reports to funding body

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 01.06: Managing budgets, income, and expenditure

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Estimates
  • Costings
  • Income
  • Investments
  • Loans
  • Funding bids
  • Reporting
  • Reconciliations

Rationale: Local Government Act 2003

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 01.07: Managing and administering re-charges

Disposition: 6+

Examples: none given

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 01.08: The process involved in managing debts owed to the authority

Disposition: CASE+6

Example(s):

  • Deposits Ledger
  • Debtor Accounts
  • Income posting slips and tabulations

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Financial transaction management

FIN 02.01: Managing the authority's banking transactions (excluding full statements)

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Bank Reconciliations
  • Bank paying in books/slips
  • Records of cancelled cheques
  • Cheque books and counterfoils (always treat as current if uncashed)

Rationale: Business requirement

Card details written down prior to entry into a financial system should be disposed of after input

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 02.02: Activities involved in the payment for or sale of goods and services by the authority. Includes expenses claims and honorariums.

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Credit notes
  • Customer Invoices, credits and refunds
  • Creditor invoices
  • Delivery notes
  • Imprest documentation
  • BACS listings
  • Cheque list
  • Periodic payment records (rents)
  • Expense Claims
  • Invoices

Rationale: Business requirement

For financial records of the acquisition, leasing, ownership or disposal of property, see Property retention schedule

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 02.03: Recording car mileage on leased vehicles

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Mileage forms

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 02.04: Managing the authority's bank statements

Disposition: ACTION+15

Example(s):

  • Bank statements

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Taxation

FIN 03.01: Administering VAT payments and claims

Disposition: 6+

Examples: None given

Rationale: The Value Added Tax Act 1994 (Sch, 11, para 6)

HMRC internal guidance manual.

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 03.02: Managing and administering the council tax

Disposition: 6+

Examples: None given

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Accounts and statements

FIN 04.01: The summary management of corporate accounts

Disposition: Permanent. Offer to Derbyshire Record Office when no longer current

Example(s):

  • Abstract of accounts

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 04.02: Accounting and reporting

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Pensions

FIN 05.01: Documents relating to cases of no further liability (NFL)

Disposition: DOB+100, ACTION+15

Examples:

  • cessation of linked pension or survivor pension
  • transfers out
  • compounded pensions (for example trivial communications)
  • death grant
  • refunds

Rationale: Business requirement: an obligation to respond to enquiries from solicitors, executors, scheme members and central government. Records must meet both criteria before disposal, i.e. the member's birth must be 100 years ago and the NFL date must be 15 years ago.

Location: Pension administration system (Altair)

FIN 05.02: Management of current preserved scheme members

Disposition: Retain while current, then see FIN 5.01

Example:

  • Preserved (deferred) scheme member files

Rationale: Business requirement

FIN 05.03: Number not used

Formerly: The process of managing pension increases

FIN 05.04: Pension case management reporting

Disposition: ACTION+15

Example(s):

  • Pension increase reports
  • Statistical data
  • Scheme valuation data
  • Annual allowance reports
  • Income report
  • Year-end reports produced internally
  • All other reports

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: Fund files

FIN 05.05: Managing local government pensions through significant local government reorganisation

Disposition: Permanent. Offer to Derbyshire Record Office when no longer current

Examples:

  • Agreements - records of pensions recharged to Derby City Council following 1997 reorganisation

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: Fund files and pension administration system (Altair)

FIN 05.06: number not used

Formerly managing pension schemes of other organisations

FIN 05.07: Managing copies of members' Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) statements

Disposition: ACTION+25

Examples: Statements from AVC providers

Rationale: Business requirement. AVC benefits are made with pension payments and may be subject to enquiries years after payments have been made.

FIN 05.08: Management of current scheme members

Disposition: Retain while current, then see FIN 05.01

Example:

  • Active pension scheme member files

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: Pension administration system (Altair)

FIN 05.09: Management of survivor pension payments

Disposition: Retain while current, then see FIN 05.01

Example:

  • Files relating to survivors in receipt of pension payments

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: Pension administration system (Altair)

FIN 05.10: The management of Year-End and contribution returns and monthly submissions supplied by local government bodies

Disposition: Retain while current, then see FIN 05.01

Examples: Year-end returns, monthly contribution returns and monthly data files from fund employers.

Rationale: Business requirement. Enquiries relating to scheme membership may require reference to data submitted and contribution payments made by the relevant employer.

Location: Fund files and pension administration system (Altair).

FIN 05.11: The appraisal of pension fund assets and liabilities

Disposition: Permanent. Offer to Derbyshire Record Office when no longer current.

Example:

  • Pension fund annual reports and actuarial reports

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: Fund files

Insuring against risk

FIN 06.03: Evidence of liability insurance status, where there is enduring potential for an injury claim

Disposition: ACTION+100

Example(s):

  • All Liability Insurance policies, schedules, certificates (including motor vehicle insurance)
  • 'To Whom' letters
  • Insurance contracts
  • Schedule of insurers and limits

Rationale: Business requirement

Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969

Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance Regulations 1998)

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 06.04: Evidence of liability insurance status in relation to property

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Property policies
  • Balance of risk policy and summary of cover

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: Pension administration system (UPM)

FIN 06.05: Number not used

FIN 6.06: Number not used

FIN 6.07: Evidence of liability insurance status, where there is low potential for an injury claim

Disposition: TERMS+6

Examples:

  • School Balance Of Risk policies / schedules
  • Accident policies / schedules
  • Travel policies / schedules

Schedule of DCC members insured/traveling

Schedule of officers insured/travelling

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 06.08: Number not used

FIN 06.09: Evidence of insurance status in relation to policies with a Claims-Made basis

Disposition: TERMS+6

Examples:

  • Policies and schedules for Fidelity Insurance
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Professional Indemnity
  • Officials Indemnity
  • Cyber Liability

Rationale: Business requirement, Limitation Act 1980

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Insurance claims administration

FIN 07.01: Routine administration of insurance claims (excluding cases relating to minors)

Disposition: CASE+6 (closure point: settlement/repudiation)

Example(s): Insurance claim files relating to:

  • Public Liability Insurance
  • Property damage
  • Employers liability
  • Motor liability
  • Motor vehicle own damage
  • School balance of risk
  • Own property damage
  • Travel
  • Fidelity guarantee
  • Cyber liability
  • Medical malpractice
  • Professional indemnity
  • Officials indemnity

Rationale: Limitation Act 1980

FIN 07.02: Number not used

FIN 07.03: Managing an insurance claims relating to minors

Disposition: DOB+25

Example(s):

  • Liability injury insurance claim files
  • Personal accident insurance claim files
  • School journey insurance claim files
  • Medical malpractice insurance claims

Rationale: Limitation Act 1980

FIN 07.04: Managing a subsidence insurance claim

Disposition: ACTION+50

Example(s):

  • Subsidence insurance claim files

Rationale: Business Requirement

FIN 07.05: The management of information in relation to a potential future claim by an individual, in relation to industrial disease

Disposition: DOB+100

Example(s):

  • Incident reports
  • Background information

Rationale: Business Requirement

CIPFA Guidance

FIN 07.06: Managing an industrial disease insurance claim

Disposition: CASE+6 (closure point: settlement/repudiation)

Example(s):

  • Employers and public liability insurance claim files relating to industrial diseases

Rationale: Business Requirement, CIPFA Guidance

FIN 07.07: Number not used

FIN 07.08: The maintaining of historical claims data

Disposition: Permanent. Offer to Derbyshire Record Office when system is scheduled for decommission

Example(s):

  • Insurance claims database records
  • Long Span apportionments tables
  • Insurer handled claim records
  • Bordereaux
  • Reconciliations
  • Bank statements from imprest account

Rationale: Business requirement

FIN 07.09: The summary management of claims and triangulation details

Disposition: ACTION+75

Example(s):

  • Summaries / triangulation

Rationale: Business requirement

Administering risk management and insurance

FIN 08.01: The registration of insurance underwriting information

Disposition: ACTION+15

Examples:

  • Renewal documents
  • Tender documents
  • Renewal and tender correspondence
  • Insurance Premium Register
  • Insured buildings and contents inventory
  • Motor vehicles inventory
  • Records of insurer cover clarification

Rationale: Business requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 08.02: The financial control of retained risks

Disposition: ACTION+50

Example(s):

  • Actuarial Fund Review Report
  • Supporting information used to produce Actuarial Fund Review Report
  • Funding analysis
  • Reconciliation, Liab sum
  • Accounts
  • Ledger Balancing
  • Year End
  • Recharges
  • Budgets
  • MMI Scheme of Arrangement
  • Bordereaux

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Rationale: Business requirement

FIN 08.03: Number not used

FIN 08.04: Maintaining pension fund insurance registers

Disposition: ACTION+15

Example(s):

  • Records of insured pension fund properties 

Rationale: Business requirement

FIN 08.05: Agreeing scope of insurance cover for individual cases

Disposition: DOB+25

Example(s):

  • Approval Medical Procedures correspondence
  • Waiver of rights of recovery correspondence

Rationale: Limitation Act 1980

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 08.06: Agreeing scope of medical malpractice insurance cover for medical procedures

Disposition: DOB+25

Example(s):

  • Correspondence
  • Endorsements

Rationale: Limitation Act 1980

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 08.07: Agreeing scope of insurance cover for partnerships / seconded employees / directors of boards

Disposition: DOB+25

Example(s):

  • Correspondence
  • Endorsements

Rationale: Limitation Act 1980

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 08.08: Routine administration of risk management and insurance

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Correspondence re recovery salary paid to employees involved in road traffic accidents (non DCC liability)
  • Recoding and charging for Court of Protection properties
  • Engineering inspections: additions, deletions, correspondence
  • Short term vehicle hire insurance / recharging (Vehicle details, 4th EU returns)

Rationale: Business Requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

FIN 08.09: Administration of risk management and insurance on behalf of external bodies

Disposition: ACTION+75

Example(s):

  • Tenders
  • Renewals
  • Policy documents
  • Certificates
  • Schedules
  • Correspondence

Rationale: Business Requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Operational risk management

FIN 09.01: Insurance loss control surveying

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Insurer survey reports
  • School’s Annual Security Risk Assessment questionnaire

FIN 09.02: The agreement of dispensation from minimum insurance requirements

Disposition: ACTION+50

Example(s):

  • Correspondence confirming dispensation

Rationale: Business Requirement

Location: EDRM, shared drives, finance management systems

Audit: Strategic oversight of service delivery

AUD 01.01: Planning and review of audit activity

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Audit Committee reports/papers; Internal Audit Plan and Annual Report (strategic documents separately retained, see Democratic Services retention schedule)
  • Audit strategy documents including Quality Assurance & Improvement Programme (QAIP)
  • Service budget monitoring, performance information, client feedback

Rationale: Business need

Location: SharePoint site and M365 applications

Audit: Planning and conducting audit activities

AUD 02.01: Notes of meetings and discussions with Management

Disposition: 6+

Examples:

  • Audit planning information including terms of reference
  • Audit and grant working papers including supporting evidence
  • Reports, letters and correspondence relating to audit and grant work
  • Audit recommendation tracking

Rationale: Business need

Location: SharePoint site and M365 applications

Audit: Operational management

AUD 03.01: Operational management of audit activity (General)

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Audit manual, policies, procedures and guidance templates
  • Plan progress, working schedules, meetings and training resources

Rationale: Business need

Location: SharePoint site and M365 applications

Audit: Investigations and counter-fraud activities

AUD 04.01: Conducting special investigations

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Investigation referrals, working papers and reports
  • Counter fraud working papers and reports
  • Records relating to Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and whistleblowing referrals
  • Fraud returns and training resources

Rationale: Business need

Location: SharePoint site and M365 applications

Procurement: Tendering

PROC 01.01: Tender specification and contract development (Ordinary contracts)

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Tender specification. Note: For project files containing drafts leading to a final version these records can be destroyed.

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.5

PROC 01.02: Tender specification and contract development (Contracts under Seal)

Disposition: TERMS+12

Example(s):

  • Tender Specification. Note: For project files containing drafts leading to a final version these records can be destroyed.

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.8(02)

PROC 01.03: Pre-contract advice

Disposition: TERMS+6

Where a manual paper-based procurement is performed then Opening Notice and Tender Envelope should be destroyed 1 year from start of contract.

Example(s):

  • Expressions of interest.

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980.

PROC 01.04: Tender evaluation (ordinary contracts)

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Evaluation criteria.

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.5

PROC 01.05: Tender evaluation (contracts under Seal)

Disposition: TERMS+12

Example(s):

  • Evaluation criteria

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.8(02)

PROC 01.06: Successful tender documents (ordinary contracts)

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Tender / quotation returns

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.5

PROC 01.07: Successful tender documents (contracts under Seal)

Disposition: TERMS+12

Example(s):

  • Tender / quotation returns

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.8(02)

PROC 01.08: Unsuccessful tender documents

Disposition: 6+

Example(s):

  • Tender / quotation Returns

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980

Procurement: Contract files

PROC 02.01: Post tender negotiations

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Clarification of contract
  • Post tender negotiation minutes

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980

PROC 02.02: Awarding of contract (ordinary contracts)

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Signed contract

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.5

PROC 02.03: Awarding of contract (contracts under Seal)

Disposition: TERMS+12

Example(s):

  • Signed contract

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.8(02)

PROC 02.04: Contract management

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Service Level Agreements
  • Compliance records
  • Performance reports

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980

PROC 02.05: Management and amendment of contract (ordinary contracts)

Disposition: TERMS+6

Example(s):

  • Minutes and papers of meetings
  • Changes to requirements,
  • Variation forms
  • Extensions of contract
  • Payment disputes.

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.5

PROC 02.06: Management and amendment of contract (contracts under Seal)

Disposition: TERMS+12

Example(s):

  • Minutes and papers of meetings
  • Changes to requirements
  • Variation forms
  • Extensions of contract
  • Payment disputes.

Rationale: The Limitation Act 1980 s.8(02)