Policy Name: / Information Management Policy
Number: / Policy Owner: / Manager Business Information
Purpose: / The purpose of this policy is to establish the top level principles for management of information within the organisation. Council is committed to developing and maintaining information management practices that meet its business needs, accountability requirements and stakeholder expectations.
Policy

Introduction

  1. This policy is the top level document in the Information Management policy framework. Refer to the Information Management Framework for a better understanding of key words and concepts.
  2. In the broad context of this policy, the word information is to be interpreted in the general sense and therefore includes data, records, databases, websites, email, documents, knowledge, recordings and so on.
  3. Council Information is defined as: information passing through Council systems or created by any of the people to which this policy applies on behalf of Council, and information in which at some point Council has a legal right of ownership or use.
  4. This policy is largely new but also replaces the Documentary Evidence Destruction policy and procedure, the Community Photocopying policy, and the Retention and Disposal policy.
  5. This policy shall also be read as being Council’s records management policy.
  6. This policy applies to Councillors, staff, managers, contractors, volunteers, and members of Council’s committees, and any other person working within Council.
  7. This policy shall be reviewed annually.

Legislative Context

  1. Council is covered by the Public Records Act 1973 (Vic), and therefore all current Standards issued by the Public Record Office of Victoria.
  2. Council is also covered byother Victorian legislation relevant to information management including Freedom of Information, Evidence, Electronic Transactions and Crimes Acts.

Aspirational Intention

  1. Council aspires to meet the requirements of Australian Standard AS15489 Records Management. Sound records management is a foundation block of effective information management.
  2. Council aspires to excellence within the Information and Knowledge Management category of the Australian Business Excellence Framework.

Management Principles forInformation Management

  1. Council shall develop and maintain objectives and policy in relation to information management. Refer to the Information Management Framework for program objectives.
  2. Council shall define and assign information management accountabilities at all levels of the organisation including key performance indicators at management level.
  3. Council shall use a strategic planning approach to identify information management requirements and gaps and the appropriate allocation of resources.
  4. Council shall develop comprehensive operational procedures, practices and systems for information management.
  5. Council shall employ staff with appropriate skills and experience as custodians for information management.
  6. Council shall regularly communicate with stakeholders in order to inform and promote information management policy and practice.
  7. Council shall establish and maintain a program to monitor the application and effectiveness of the information management framework and to report findings to the Executive Management Team.

Core Accountability

  1. The Business Information team shall develop and maintain an overarching information management policy framework in consultation with other stakeholders.
  2. The Business Information team shall develop and maintain specialised expertise in order to provide support to the Council in relation to information management, record keeping and related processes. This team shall act as custodian of these systems in consultation with other Council teams.
  3. The Information Technology Services team shall develop and maintain specialised expertise in order to provide support to the Council in relation to computers, electronic communication and related systems. This team shall act as custodian of these systems in consultation with other Council teams.
  4. Council shall identify the individual and shared accountabilities in relation to information management for Business Information Manager, IT Services Manager and line Managers. This will be recorded in the Information Management procedure.
  5. Councillors, managers, staff, volunteers, contractors and members of Council’s committees are accountable for managing information as per Council policy and procedure.
  6. No one will destroy records except as allowed by Council procedure and the Public Records Act.

Other Principles

  1. Councillors, managers, staff, volunteers, contractors and members of Council’s committees:
  2. are to be made aware of our obligations not to destroy possible evidence, as outlined in the Legal EvidenceProtection Procedure;
  3. will take appropriate action when they become aware of circumstances where it is reasonably foreseeable that legal action may arise involving Baw Baw Shire; and
  4. will encourage development and maintenance of an honest and transparent corporate culture that appropriately preserves evidence of our activities.
  5. Council information shall only be used for the purpose it was intended or for other reasonable purposes. Council information shall not be used for personal gain or for purposes not related to Council business.
  6. Councillors shall not have direct access to Council’s core business information and filing systems except as permitted by the Chief Executive Officer. Requests for advice on information held in these systems shall be made via a member of Executive Management Team or the Governance Officer or other officer as authorised by the Chief Executive Officer.
  7. All information received by Councillors, in their role as Councillor, shall be captured, processed and maintained as Council information, within Council information systems.
  8. A cross divisional governance committee shall operate to oversee key information system decisions.
  9. As far as practical :
  10. information systems and processes shall be designed to provide staff with direct access to the informationand computer programs required to do their work;
  11. information systems shall be designed so people get their own view of the one set of shared corporate data.

This approach will promote efficiency through capture of data once only at its source, continuous improvement, and ownership of data quality.

  1. All data and information systems shall have identified owners to promote accountability for management and leadership in improvement.
  2. Council shall identify where its Councillors, managers, staff, volunteers, contractors and members of Council’s committees are creating or using records in relation to Council business. Council shall then identify any legislative or business requirements in relation to creating, maintaining and disposing of records and ensure that the relevant parties are meeting these requirements.
  3. Council shall endeavour to create, receive and maintain information in electronic format, rather than paper format, wherever feasible.
  4. To facilitate electronic record keeping, Managers may choose not to keep a signed copy of documents for some standardised electronic business processes. The decision to rely on a standardised process performed in a non-editable computer system to prove validity of a record must be based on an assessment of the likelihood and consequence of risks associated with the business process.
  5. All people using Council information systems (including electronic and paper systems) shall read and sign an agreement outlining reasonable use of information systems. This does not apply to those solely using public access systems such as the web site.
  6. To reduce risk, promote good practice, and make people feel welcome, managers shall request access to information systems, and removal of access, in a timely manner. The Information Technology Services team shall develop people entry, change and exit procedures to facilitate this process. Councillors, managers, staff, volunteers, contractors and members of Council’s committeesshall receive appropriate induction in information management soon after arrival.
  7. Critical information must be retained as long as required and then appropriately disposed. At any time prior to disposal, it must be managed in such a way as to be recoverable in the event of loss. The desired recovery time shall be decided on a cost / risk basis by the Manager of the business process.
  8. Council will provide a photocopying service to support community groups. This service shall be limited in volume and not compete with local business.
  9. Council shall consider intellectual property and copyright ownership when buying or creating information and information systems, and in using or storing information created by others. This will ensure Council suitably protects the investment made in creating information and reduces the risk of litigation.
Effective Date: / Approved Council 8/7/2009

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