Retention and deletion of emails

The request was successful.

Dear City of Edinburgh Council,

Please could you share a copy of your email retention and deletion policies and procedures?
Also, any information that could help answer the following questions would be appreciated:
a) What retention periods have you set for mailboxes, if any?
b) What retention periods have you set for emails in outlook, if any?
c) How do you know which email, while in outlook, is to be deleted and when?
d) How do you delete emails in outlook that are due for destruction?
e) Are your users allowed to move emails from outlook to other systems? And if yes, what guidance do you have for them, if any?
Please ignore questions a to e, if you do not use Outlook/Exchange.
Thank you

Yours faithfully,

José da Silva

City of Edinburgh Council

José Da Silva

Our ref: 37450

Dear José Da Silva

Acknowledgement of Request

Subject: Retention and deletion of emails

Thank you for your request for information which was received on 07/06/2022.

In your request you asked for the following;

Please could you share a copy of your email retention and deletion policies and procedures?

Also, any information that could help answer the following questions would be appreciated:

a) What retention periods have you set for mailboxes, if any?

b) What retention periods have you set for emails in outlook, if any?

c) How do you know which email, while in outlook, is to be deleted and when?

d) How do you delete emails in outlook that are due for destruction?

e) Are your users allowed to move emails from outlook to other systems? And if yes, what guidance do you have for them, if any?

Please ignore questions a to e, if you do not use Outlook/Exchange.

I can confirm that your request will be processed under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, Environmental Information Regulations (Scotland) 2004, or the INSPIRE (Scotland) Regulations 2009.

You will receive the information requested within 20 working days unless the Council does not hold the information, or there is a reason for it to be withheld. We will write to you in any event. This means we have until 05/07/2022 to respond to your request.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case we will let you know.

If you have any requirements regarding the format any information should be supplied in, e.g. the language to be used, audio, large print and so on, then please let me know.

If you have any queries or concerns, do not hesitate to get in touch. Please quote the reference number above in any future communications.

To promote transparency and accountability, it is the Council’s policy to publish all request details and responses made under the freedom of information legislation. This information is available at the following link: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10....

Further information about your rights and accessing information is available on our website at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Yours sincerely,

Information Governance Unit
Level 2:1, Waverley Court, Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel 0131 200 2340
[Edinburgh City Council request email] www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Information Rights Officer 4, City of Edinburgh Council

1 Attachment

José Da Silva

 

[1][FOI #868252 email]

 

Our ref: 37450

 

 

Dear José Da Silva

 

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held

 

Subject: E-mail Retention and Deletion Policies and Procedures

 

Thank you for your request for information of 07/06/2022 where you asked
questions regarding the above. Your request has been processed under the
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Unfortunately, we are unable
to provide you with the information requested because it is not held by
the Council. I shall address each of your questions in turn.

 

You asked the following:

 

Q1. Please could you share a copy of your email retention and deletion
policies and procedures?

A1. We do not have specific e-mail retention and deletion policies and
procedures. What we have is our record retention rules which apply to all
records created by a single activity, regardless of format. Further detail
is provided on our website at:

[2]https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/managing-in...

Council services are asked to create and maintain records management
manuals that outline in greater detail what, when and how records
(including e-mails) are to be disposed of, and under whose authority.

Also, any information that could help answer the following questions would
be appreciated:

Q2. What retention periods have you set for mailboxes, if any?

A2. Please refer to A1 above.

Q3. What retention periods have you set for emails in outlook, if any?

A3. Please refer to A1 above.

Q4. How do you know which email, while in outlook, is to be deleted and
when?

A4. Please refer to A1 above.

Q5. How do you delete emails in outlook that are due for destruction?

Q6. Are your users allowed to move emails from outlook to other systems?
And if yes, what guidance do you have for them, if any?

A5 and A6. Attached is our guidance on how staff can manage and dispose of
e-mails.

Please note that this letter constitutes a notice under section 17 of the
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

 

To promote transparency and accountability, it is the Council’s policy to
publish all request details and responses made under the freedom of
information legislation. This information is available at the following
link:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10....

 

Your right to seek a review

 

If you are unhappy with the way we have dealt with your request, you can
ask us to review our actions and decisions by writing to:

 

Information Compliance Team

The City of Edinburgh Council

Waverley Court Business Centre 2:1

4, East Market Street

Edinburgh

EH8 8BG

Email: [email address]

 

Please note that your request must be in a recordable format (email,
letter, audio tape etc.), and that you have 40 working days upon receipt
of this letter to ask for a review. You will receive a full response to
your review request within 20 working days of its receipt. Please quote
the reference number above in any future communications.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the review, you can ask the
Scottish Information Commissioner to review our decision. You must submit
your complaint to the Commissioner within 6 months of receiving our review
response. The Commissioner can be contacted at:

 

The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner

Kinburn Castle

Doubledykes Road

St Andrews

Fife

KY16 9DS

Telephone: 01334 464610

Fax: 01334 464611

Website: www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal

Email: [email address]

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Iain Burden

Information Rights Officer

 

Information Governance Unit

Level 2:1, Waverley Court, Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel 0131 200 2340

[Edinburgh City Council request email]  www.edinburgh.gov.uk

 

 

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References

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1. mailto:[FOI #868252 email]
2. https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/managing-in...