Data Protection Policy & Records Retention Schedule

Data Protection Policy & Records Retention Schedule [Updated 2025]

Introduction

Rowsley Village Hall Management Committee recognises that the efficient management of its records is necessary to comply with its legal and regulatory obligations and to contribute to the effective overall management of the charity. This document provides the policy framework through which this effective management can be achieved and audited. 

Rowsley Village Hall is committed to a policy of protecting the rights and privacy of individuals. We collect and use certain types of Data in order to carry on our work of managing our hall. This personal information is collected and handled securely.

Scope

This policy applies to all records created, received or maintained by Rowsley Village Hall Management Committee and others associated with the charity in an official capacity in the course of carrying out their functions. 

Records are defined as all those documents which facilitate the business carried out by Rowsley Village Hall and which are thereafter retained (for a set period) to provide evidence of its transactions or activities. These records may be created, received or maintained in hard copy or electronically. 

A small percentage of Rowsley Village Hall’s records may be selected for permanent preservation as part of the charity’s archives and for historical research.

Responsibilities

Rowsley Village Hall Management Committee has a responsibility to maintain its records and record management systems in accordance with the regulatory environment. The person with overall responsibility for this policy is the Secretary. 

The person responsible for records management will promote compliance with this policy so that information will be retrieved easily, appropriately and timely. 

Individual committee members, employees and others associated with the charity in an official capacity must ensure that records for which they are responsible are accurate, and are maintained and disposed of in accordance with Rowsley Village Hall’s Retention Schedule (See Appendix 1).

Applying the Data Protection Act within the charity

Personal data held by Rowsley Village Hall which falls within the scope of the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulation is categorised below. We will ensure that the data is used only for the purposes described. Access to personal information will be strictly limited to those trustees, staff and volunteers who require the information in order to discharge their responsibilities.

a. Information provided by hirers and held within the hall booking and accounting system which is required to process bookings of the hall and associated payment.

The information we require to enable us to properly provide facilities for hire is collected on one document – the Rowsley Village Hall Standard Hire Form. Our lawful basis for collecting this information is to enable a contract to be drawn up between the hirer and us (the supplier), as requested by the hirer.

i. What Information do we require?
Name, address, email address and telephone numbers.  

ii. How do we use this information?
We use this information to communicate with the hirer to ensure that the booking and invoicing process can function efficiently. 

iii. How long do we keep this information?
We keep personal data for 2 years from the date of the last booking made. We keep information on the Xero accounting system for a period of 7 years to satisfy external accounting requirements.

b. Information held about trustees some of which is required to be submitted to the Charity Commission in the Annual Return.

Full contact and certain personal details of all current trustees are held for the purposes of good administration and also to enable the hall secretary to complete the annual return to the Charity Commission, which is required by law. All data held for a trustee is deleted from the village hall systems and the Charity Commission database when a trustee stands down.

c. Details about events and associated points of contact on website calendars, facebook and other media outlets.

Any data in this category is only published with the full approval of the event sponsor, organiser or point of contact whose consent would therefore be deemed to have been given.

d. Information on the ‘Contact Us’ form which a member of the public can use to send a message to the village hall bookings manager.

This information is held by the bookings manager until the email exchange is complete at which time all emails are permanently deleted.

e. Village Hall Email List

We maintain an up to date email list of subscribers who have given their specific consent to receive emails from the village hall about events, fundraising activities and general news. Subscribers can request for their name to be removed from this list at any time.

Privacy Notice and Consent Policy for Rowsley Village Hall

Rowsley Village Hall uses personal data for the purposes of managing the hall, its booking and finances, running and marketing events at the hall, staff employment, trustee documentation and its fundraising activities. Data may be held for up to 7 years for accounts purposes but data retention is regularly reviewed and when no longer required personal data will be deleted permanently from the village hall information systems. 

Appendix 1: Retention Schedule 

The retention schedule refers to record series regardless of the media in which they are stored.