100 DAYS TO GO... 
Wales Group - Meeting 19 September 2008
''Members of RMS Wales assembled in the Council Chambers of Powys County Council at Llandrindod Wells for its Autumn 2008 meeting. Led by group Chair David Bridge (Flintshire County Council), the meeting began with a presentation from Richard Blake (Head of Records Management Advisory Service, The National Archives) entitled ''Assessing Performance and Evaluating Risk Against the Section 46 Records Management Code''.
Richard began by explaining that the new self assessment tool, which has been field tested by local authorities, supplements the compliance workbook and together with appropriate instructions and embedded questionnaire, generates automatically a risk assessment against the code. Interestingly it was noted that borough councils scored best when responding with county, district and unitary councils progressively showing higher risk results. There are 8 modules associated with the code but the TNA do not prescribe to absolute conformity but do towards risk assessment. Richard then went on to explain that the 2008 version of the code had been expanded on the original year 2000 version to include social networking together with collaborative and home working. No new burdens had been incorporated into the code but there had been the inclusion of all record formats including e-record with the revised code having now been submitted to ministers for approval for public consultation.
The main changes to the code are:
- all formats integrated
- records defined as in BS ISO 15489 and explicitly include more than correspondence systems
- information management context recognised
- importance of records management set out
- risk emphasised
- greater scope for different approaches
- new element: records management programme
- summary at start of each section to serve as top-level 'requirement'
- structural changes " a different set of sections
- new sections for collaborative and contracted out working and compliance monitoring
- annexes include more published standards and guidance
After a short tea break Richard then took the floor for a question and answer session on EDRMS. Discussion took place on elements such as ''How long do these projects last?''; What is the most time consuming element within an EDRMS programme?”
Dawn Monaghan from the Information Commissioner's Office then gave a talk on ''Proactive Dissemination: The Model Publication Scheme 2009''. Dawn opened by explaining that there was to be a concentration on using websites as the primary vehicle for release and it was planned that the bureaucracy for approval and adoption would be reduced to a minimum. A model scheme concept had been devised taking the publication scheme towards a directory of information which could be readily accessed with definition guidance to help. The 7 commitments of the new model publication scheme are:
- Proactively make available information held and contained within the definitions
- Specify the above information
- Make the information available in line with the method of publication statement
- Produce and publish a method by which the specific information will be made available - a directory guide/route map to information
- Review and update the information on a regular basis
- Produce a schedule of charges
- Make the publication scheme and directory available to the public
Whilst the 7 classes were defined as:
- Who we are and what we do
- What we spend and how we spend it
- What our priorities are and how we are doing
- How we make decisions
- Our policies and procedures
- Lists and registers
- The services we offer
Exclusions to the schema was then presented with it being noted that information in storage or that is difficult to access being one of the exclusions. Methods of publication, charging, definition guidance, the directory of information, adoption and enforcement were then explained. The timescale for adoption is the 1st January 2009 with the ICO assuming adoption unless informed otherwise. From March onwards the ICO would adopt a ''Mystery Shopper'' approach and apply enforcement as appropriate.
After lunch, David Bridge led the discussions on the possibility of reviving the All Wales Fileplan and for a partial return to regional group meetings due to the long travel times being involved. Volunteers were found to help David with these initiatives and would report back to the group at a later date.
The next meeting is to be held at Aberystwyth University where it is hoped there will be some participation from the records management / archive students.
Author: Lawrence Rodgers Information Management Consultants (IMC) Ltd
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Proactive DisspowysSept2008.ppt (51.5 KB) | |
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Welsh Records Management Society meeting on 19 Sept 2008.ppt (828.5 KB) |