Archived decisions

Contact: Janet Smith tel. 01962 846154

1. Summary

1.1 The purpose of this report is to outline the value and importance of the new National Archives Standard for Record Repositories and to seek its adoption as a best practice benchmark for the development and improvement of Hampshire Record Office (supporting Corporate Aim 5, improving services).

2. Background

2.1 The National Archives published a new National Archives Standard for Record Repositories in late 2004. This brings together into one document the former Standard for Record Repositories, first published in 1991 by the former Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC), and the standards for approved Places of Deposit for public records published by the former Public Record Office (PRO) in 1994.

2.2 The HMC's Standard for Record Repositories provided authoritative guidance on record office management, storage and public access. It was adopted on behalf of Hampshire County Council, on the recommendation of the Archives Panel, by the former Recreation Committee at its meeting on 21 March 1991.

2.3 Meeting the PRO's standards for approved Places of Deposit has always been essential for all record offices holding public records. Public records are defined by the Public Records Act of 1958; they are records originating from central government, some of which may be deposited in local record offices if they are regarded as being of particular local interest. Hampshire Record Office holds significant quantities of such public records under the terms of the Public Records Acts including, for example, coroners' records, magistrates' courts records and hospital records for Hampshire.

2.4 Both the PRO and the HMC operated independent advisory and inspection regimes and Hampshire Record was inspected and approved under each.

2.5 In April 2003 the PRO and the HMC merged to form The National Archives (TNA). Since that time it has brought together the two advisory services into one unit. The new Standard eliminates any duplication and/or overlap, updates the standards and harmonises the two inspection and approval systems.

3. The Standard

3.1 The new Standard is aimed at archivists and governing bodies holding records which are `available to the public for research'. It is based largely on the former HMC Standard, with additional guidance on the preservation of digital and other electronic records.

3.2 Adoption of the new Standard, as for the old, is voluntary, but its existence supports and encourages best practice in all record-holding institutions and discourages the creation of additional repositories with inadequate staffing resources and collecting policies which overlap with existing offices. In addition, archives services whose governing body adopts the Standard and `meets its requirements in all essential respects will be eligible for full TNA approval'. This allows for continued holding of public records, of records accepted by the nation in lieu of tax and of manorial and tithe records (held under the terms of two statutory instruments: the Manorial Documents Rules and the Tithe Rules). Hampshire Record Office holds significant collections in each of the above categories and thus approval under the Standard remains essential in order to maintain the present service. Hampshire Record Office already seeks to meet the standards set out in the new document.

3.3 The last inspection of the service took place in 2005 as a pilot inspection by the new TNA Advisory Service using the new Standard. The result was provisional approval only, since although most aspects of the service were very highly rated, the lack of space for future accruals was noted and a second major area of concern was that the atmospheric conditions within the archive strongrooms were failing to meet the required standards. Work is needed in both areas if Hampshire Record Office is to achieve full approval in future and this is being addressed through the service planning process.

4. Future inspections

4.1 In the past, inspections have taken the form of personal visits by officers from the former HMC and PRO or TNA. It is likely that future assessments will be at least partly on the basis of annual self-assessments and TNA issued its first self-assessment questionnaire in July 2006. This first assessment is a pilot and this year's results will be notified to participating record offices but not published. In future years the results will be published for external comparison. The new self-assessment system is being monitored by the Audit Commission with a view to its adoption within the cultural services block of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment framework, alongside the museums accreditation scheme. Assessment of archives services against the TNA Standard may thus assume greater significance for local authorities in the future.

5. Impact Assessment

No adverse impact has been identified.

6. Financial/Legal Implications

There are no financial or legal implications.

Recommendation

That Hampshire County Council adopts the National Archives Standard for Record Repositories.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works.

2 Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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