Once a set of criteria outlining the value of the records to be appraised has been established, the records are evaluated against those criteria.
Records that have value beyond the period of their usefulness to the public office and may be retained permanently as archives can be grouped into two categories of value:
Records that have long-term value to a public office may be destroyed
Records that have short-term value to a public office and may be destroyed when no longer useful can often be grouped into three overlapping categories of value:
Some records of administrative, fiscal and legal value may also be of evidential and/or historical or informational value, and may warrant permanent retention as archives.
Appraisal may be undertaken by staff responsible for recordkeeping in public offices or by contracted external providers, and is expected to include consultation with internal and external stakeholders.
Note that the Public Records Act 2005 does not override other legislative requirements or legal obligations to retain records, for example, for tax purposes.
Information for public offices can be viewed at Records Appraisal and Disposal.
Information for local authorities can be viewed at Advice for local authorities.