The manner in which your organisation creates and maintains records is covered by an increasingly wide range of legislation.

Public sector agencies may be directly affected by the Freedom of Information Act or the National Archives Act, along with legislation relating to specific sectors, such as the Local Government Act or Harbours Act.

Do you hold personal information on individuals in either paper or electronic format? If so, are you aware of your obligations under the Data Protection Act?

Do you hold records electronic format or scan paper records and store the digital image. If so, are your electronic records admissible as evidence and how does the Electronic Commerce Act apply to your records?

There is a long list of legislative requirements governing specific record types - how they are to be maintained, how long they must be kept, etc. For example, are you aware of what the Organisation of Working Time Act says about the type of records your organisation must create and maintain? Or the Terms of Employment (Information) Act? The Companies Acts also set out extensive requirements regarding record-keeping.

Arcline can advise you on your legislative obligations with regard to record-keeping and implement strategies and procedures to ensure that you are complying with those obligations.

Our methodologies, procedures and strategies are in line with recognised best practice in the field of records management.

All of our recommendations comply with the International Records Management Standard, ISO 15489 and we follow the design and implementation procedures recommended in the Standard.

We can also advise clients on compliance with other standards, as appropriate, including:

BSI BIP 0008:2004 (Legal Admissibility and Evidential Weight of Evidence Stored Electronically)

BSI PD 0010 (Principles of Good Practice for Information Management)

BS 7799 / ISO 27001 (Information Security)

BS 5454 (Storage and Exhibition of Archival Documents).

We will also offer guidance on standards and best practice affecting record-keeping in specific sectors, such as education, childcare, health services, financial services and others.