Implementation, maintenance and review

Implementing a functional records disposal schedule

Once a new schedule is approved, the organisation will need to ensure relevant staff are made aware that the disposal schedule is available for use. Relevant work procedures and manuals should be amended to incorporate protocols for the disposal of records described in the schedule.

The new schedule will need to be loaded into the organisation's recordkeeping system. If the schedule supersedes a previous one, the former schedule will need to be deactivated and noted on the recordkeeping system as 'superseded'. A copy is required to be retained in the record keeping system so earlier decisions can be checked and validated if necessary.

It is also recommended that a copy of the disposal schedule is posted on the organisation's intranet site for internal clients' reference.

Maintaining a functional records disposal schedule

Public sector organisations, the work they do and the environment they work in, are not static and neither is the disposal schedule.

A public sector organisation is responsible for regularly reviewing its disposal schedule(s) to ensure they remain aligned with business, legislative, regulatory, administrative, cultural and community needs.

Reviewing a functional records disposal schedule

In addition to ongoing maintenance, disposal schedules should be reviewed on a regular basis in accordance with NTG standards. Events that may influence the content of a disposal schedule include:

• administrative changes, for example, a restructure
• a function or several functions change
• there is legislative change affecting the responsibility of the public sector organisation
• new legislation is enacted or current legislation repealed (for example, a requirement to keep certain records changes)
• record keeping system changes (for example, from a paper-based to an electronic system)
• plans are made to commercialise or privatise the business of the public sector organisation.

As with the development of a disposal schedule, please notify the NT Records Service when planning a review.

The review should involve a re-analysis of the organisational and record keeping context for any changes that may have occurred.

However, if the review has been initiated as a result of an administrative change or as a result of inheriting functions from another public sector organisation or internally within the organisation, a detailed analysis of the scope, history, regulatory context and records will be required for those new functions. Consultation should again be undertaken as part of the process.

Regardless of the reason for the review, any changes and supporting research should be documented in new versions of background research, such as the record class description form and the function class description form.

The new revised version of the disposal schedule will need to be submitted to the RRDWG.

Amending a functional records disposal schedule

There are several reasons to justify an amendment/s in a published schedule.

For further advice please refer to procedure for Requesting an amendment to a records disposal schedule.