Public Records (Jersey) Law 2002: Report on the work of the Jersey Heritage Trust and the States Archivist during 2009.

STATES OF JERSEY

PUBLIC RECORDS (JERSEY) LAW 2002: REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE JERSEY HERITAGE TRUST AND THE STATES ARCHIVIST DURING 2009

Presented to the States on 3rd August 2010 by the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture

STATES GREFFE

2010   Price code: B  R.111

REPORT

Introduction

Under the Public Records (Jersey) Law 2002 ("the Law") the Archivist is required to provide an annual report to the States of Jersey. The 2009 annual report gives details of the assessment of the Jersey Archive against national standards, the care of and access  to  public  records,  legislative  work,  records  management  work  and  work undertaken as part of the Children's Care Home Inquiry.

National Standards

In July 2009 the Jersey Archive submitted an annual return to The National Archive self-assessment  performance  programme  which  was  established  in  2007.  The programme assesses each archive against The National Archive Standard for Records Repositories with the intention of providing a measure of overall service quality.'

The results of the self-assessment allow archive services and their stakeholders to make year-on-year comparisons and also to compare their level of service with other archives in the UK.

The 2008/2009 results for Jersey Archive were as follows –

*Position compared to 114 other archive services in the U.K. Key areas of change

The two key areas of improvement between the 2007/8 and 2008/9 self-assessment results were in the sections of Governance and Access and the User Experience.

Governance

The employment of a Records Assistant under the Children's Care Home Inquiry has increased Jersey Archive's scoring in the questions relating to total staffing numbers and budget increases.

In 2008, specific annual plans were introduced for Jersey Archive and the submission of the 2008 annual plan annotated with objectives achieved led to higher scores in this area. The revision and development of policies in 2008 and 2009 also contributed to an increase in points in the Governance section.

Access and the user experience

This section is divided into questions around the user experience at the Archive, the provision of access to archival material through in-person visits to the building and outreach activities in the community. Jersey Archive scores very highly in sections that relate to the user experience and service at the Archive, but these scores are pulled down by opening hours, access and outreach projects.

In 2008/2009 the success of projects such as the What's Your Story?' campaign and the Les Quennevais Family Trees exhibition has led to a 13% increase in our score in this area.

Areas for improvement in 2010

Within  current  resources  it  would  be  difficult  to  anticipate  that  any  major improvements could be made to these results in 2010. Indeed, it is possible that the slight downward trend in the collection and documentation section will continue if Jersey Archive is unable to tackle the current cataloguing backlog.

Without significant increases in opening hours and the ability to devote more staff resources to community, education and outreach projects, the Jersey Archive will continue to perform at a level below the National average in the access and the user experience section of the assessment.

Archival Public Records

In 2009, 48 new collections from official bodies were transferred to the Jersey Archive under  the  Law. These  collections  contained  over 6,500 individual items.  All new collections have been fully accessioned, assessed by the Archive Conservator and placed in the strong-rooms at the Jersey Archive to await cataloguing.

In  2009,  25 cubic metres  of  records  were  transferred  to  the  Archive.  If  transfers continue at this rate, the Jersey Archive repository will be full by 2017. The amount of cubic  metres  transferred  has  fallen  slightly  in  2009  from  the  28 cubic metres transferred  in  2008.  The  Archivist  expects  that  this  slight  fall  in  cubic  metres transferred will continue over time, as many institutions have now deposited their older records and many future transfers will be made in a digital format. Space in the Jersey Archive repositories will continue to be monitored on an annual basis.

Please see the attached Appendix for a full list of public records accessioned in 2009. Cataloguing

The Jersey Archive currently holds over a quarter of a million public records, of which 70% are fully catalogued and accessible for members of the public to research. The remaining 30% are waiting to be catalogued before they can be made available to the public. With current staffing levels, this represents a 21.8 year cataloguing backlog, an increase of 0.4 years on the backlog of 2008.

In 2009 6,995 items were catalogued by staff, representing an increase of 40% on the number of items catalogued in 2008. This increase is due to the help of a student

volunteer  and  a  newly  implemented  cataloguing  programme  which  focuses  staff resources on cataloguing once each week.

In 2009, 7,978 new items (both public and private records) were accessioned. These statistics show that with current staff levels the cataloguing backlog will continue to grow on an annual basis.

Public records currently held at the Jersey Archive are kept in an environmentally controlled secure strong-room which is monitored for temperature and humidity by the Conservator on a daily basis.

In 2009 the Conservator spent 226 hours ensuring that all public records arriving at the archive  were  cleaned  and  repackaged.  The  Conservator  is  also  responsible  for  a programme of conservation of badly damaged items. In 2009, due to a reduction in the Conservator's hours, this work was outsourced and an external firm repaired 21 items. The archive currently holds 468 items in an unusable condition that are in need of active conservation work.

Each year the Jersey Archive completes a stock-take to ensure that public records are located correctly in the strong-rooms and that none have been misplaced during the year. In 2009, approximately 50,000 records were checked in stock-taking week, one was misplaced and is currently being searched for, the rest have been found to be in the correct locations.

Public access to Records

In 2009, the Jersey Archive was open to the public on 161 days of the year and 3,398 readers made use of the facilities. The Archive also provides access to public records through its online catalogue and enquiries service. In 2009, staff answered 1,267 written  enquiries  by  letter  or  e-mail.  The  catalogue  received  a  total  of 88,000 visits, with over 10,400 visitors searching the archives for over 20 minutes.

In 2009, the Jersey Archive took part in the Public Services Quality Group of the National Council on Archives' survey of visitors to U.K. archives. The survey is completed over a 2 week period and asks members of the public to rate the services provided by each archive.

Jersey Archive performed well when compared against other archives in the UK, with the overall service provided rated by 69.5% of the public in the highest very good' category against the National average of 54.7%.

In common with previous visitor surveys, the public identified the opening hours of the Jersey Archive as the area in which they would like to see the most improvement, with 84.5% of respondents selecting opening hours when answering the question: Which areas is it most important for this archive to improve?'. 43.4% of members of the public answering the survey placed the archive in the lowest poor' or very poor' categories when asked about opening hours.

The need for increased public access to the records at the Jersey Archive has been highlighted in previous annual reports to the States. The findings of the National Archive self-assessment, the Public Services Quality Forum and the popularity of the

12 open Saturdays throughout 2009 has shown that the Archive still needs to improve in this area to meet national standards and public expectation.

Closed Records

Under the Public Records Law, any information produced by a public body is closed to public access for 30 years unless it has been previously available, e.g. published reports. The Records Advisory Panel, appointed under the Law, has the ability to approve recommendations from the Archivist for longer closure periods on records of a sensitive nature, e.g. Children's Services or Hospital records.

In 2009, the Archivist reviewed 43 record series that are currently closed to public access for over 30 years. Recommendations on closure periods were discussed with public institutions and approved by the Records Advisory Panel at their quarterly meetings.

In November 2009 the Archivist reviewed 205 files that, after closure periods of 30, 75 and 100 years, were due to be opened to public access in January 2010. After review and consultation with the public bodies that created the records, the Archivist recommended that 201 files be opened to public access on 1st January 2010 and 4 files should be closed for longer periods of time. Three additional closures were made under  Article 31(5)(a)  of  the  Public  Records  Law –  unwarranted  invasion  of  the privacy of an individual – and one under Article 31(5)(r) of the Law – prejudice the consideration of any matter relating to immigration, nationality, consular or entry clearance cases. The Records Advisory Panel agreed these recommendations on 14th December 2009.

Legislative work

The Archivist attended meetings concerning draft Freedom of Information legislation with  officers  and  members  of  the  Privileges  and  Procedures  Committee  (PPC) throughout 2009. As a result of these meetings, the Archivist consulted with The National Archive, Information Policy Consultant and Data Protection Officer and made recommendations to PPC in response to a White Paper circulated for comment in October 2009.

Records management

In 2009, the Archivist produced an appraisal policy for Jersey Heritage. The appraisal policy is a key document in the Archive's work with modern records under the Public Records Law. Effectively through appraisal it is decided which records should be kept and  for  how  long  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  organisation,  government accountability and the expectations of researchers and other users of records. The policy outlines the process of appraisal and allows States administrations and members of the public to see the guidelines that archive staff use when deciding whether or not to preserve modern records for future generations.

Many  States  administrations  now  store  key  archival  records,  such  as  admission registers, land transactions and Royal Court registers in a digital format. Our digital heritage is at risk of being lost to posterity. Contributing factors include the rapid obsolescence of hardware, software and storage media and a lack of preservation

strategies. Jersey Archive already holds some computer tape from public institutions from the 1960s/1970s that is unreadable due to hardware obsolescence.

In response to this issue, the Archivist has produced a digital preservation policy which aims to preserve and provide continued access to digital material and to advise depositors of the process and format for transfer of archival digital records to the Jersey Archive.

Appraisal of records leads to the production of retention schedules for departments to follow. In order to comply with the Law, signed-off schedules should be agreed with the Archivist and put in place in each administration. In 2009, the Archivist has continued to work with administrations to ensure that schedules are compiled and signed off. This is, however, a time-consuming task; and with current resources at the Jersey Archive, it will take several years to put in place. In 2009, the Archivist agreed signed-off retention schedules with 2 public institutions and put in place a generic retention schedule for all 12 parishes.

Records Advisory Panel

The Records Advisory Panel met on 4 occasions in 2009. In December 2009 the terms of the original Panel members expired. Recruitment for new Panel members was managed by Jersey Heritage in conjunction with Education, Sport and Culture and with the advice of the Appointments Commission. On 11th December 2009, the new Panel members were sworn in and held their first meeting on 14th December.

The Archivist wishes to thank both the retiring and current members of the Records Advisory Panel and the staff at Jersey Heritage for their support in 2009.

Children's Care Home Inquiry

In May 2008, the Archivist was asked by the Chief Minister's Department to prepare a paper  outlining  additional  resources  required  to  secure  historic  information  for  a potential Committee of Inquiry into Children's Care Homes. In September 2008, the request for additional resources went before the States of Jersey and a Service Level Agreement was signed in December. Under the agreement, Jersey Heritage has agreed to appraise, catalogue and index records from key departments over a 2 year period. A member of staff has been appointed to assist with this work.

In 2009, the Archivist and Records Assistant have appraised over 6,400 files from key departments  identifying  any  links  to  Children's  Care  Homes  and  making recommendations for disposal. Nearly 3,000 records have now been transferred to the Jersey Archive. The Records Assistant has continued to answer departmental and Police enquiries throughout 2009.

2010

In 2010 the Archivist plans to continue to work with States Administrations to produce signed-off  retention  schedules.  At  current  staffing  levels,  the  Archivist  aims  to produce 3 signed-off schedules by the end of the year. Archive staff will also continue to work under the Children's Homes SLA to appraise and identify records in key departments.

The Archivist will continue to highlight the need for greater staffing resources to enable Jersey Heritage to carry out its functions under the Public Records Law and to meet The National Archives Standard for Records Repositories.

Conclusion

The 2008 Archivist's report to the States of Jersey highlighted recommendations made by Dr. Norman James of The National Archive who visited the Jersey Archive to assess the service against BS5454: Recommendations for the storage and exhibition of archival documents (2000) and the wider-ranging Standard for Records Repositories (2004).

Dr. James' conclusion that: The Trust is conducting archival operations efficiently, but there is a growing gap between the responsibilities imposed on the service and its ability to meet them within the current financial settlement.' is still true at the end of 2009.

Dr. James' key recommendations, made in September 2008, are also still applicable –

• That the proper implementation of the Public Records (Jersey) Law 2002 is impossible with current staffing levels.
• That  public  access  be  improved  and  the  cataloguing  backlog  stabilised through a package of measures, ideally moving back to the previous staff establishment of 11.
• That  an  infrastructure  of  departmental  information  managers  within  each States administration and the appointment of a permanent records manager on the staff of the Jersey Archive is imperative if the Archive is to carry out its duties under the Law.

Despite the improvements made by Jersey Archive in The National Archive self- assessment of 2009, the fundamental issues of cataloguing backlogs, public access and implementation of records management still remain unanswered.

Without the resources to increase public access through opening hours and a reduction in the cataloguing backlog, we are not responding to the needs of present and future members of the public who wish to have access to archival material. We also risk the continued preservation of our written cultural heritage through a lack of resources for records management.

Head of Archives and Collections Jersey Heritage

1st March 2010

APPENDIX

List of Public Records transferred to Jersey Archive in 2009 Public  Accession

Institution  Number  Accession Description

Chief Minister's Department additional deposit,

includes: filing relating to Jersey's relationship with the Chief Minister's  European Union, Home Office meetings, international Department  JA/1583  relations and nuclear energy, c. 1970–2002

Brig-y-Don Collection, includes: minutes, accounts, Children's  reports, admission cards, newspaper cuttings,

Service  JA/1654  photographs and plans, c. 1932–2009

Customs and

Immigration  Customs and Immigration Service additional deposit, Service  JA/1531  includes: case files of smuggling, c. 1960s–1980s

d'Auvergne School deposit, includes: St. Mark's School d'Auvergne  and La Pouquelaye School admission registers,

School  JA/1538  c. 1947–2005

Economic  Economic Development Department Collection, Development  includes: posters, sample tickets and publicity for the Department  JA/1574  Channel Islands lottery, c. 1967–2000s

Education, Sport  Education, Sport and Culture Department additional and Culture  deposit, includes: Public Instruction Committee Department  JA/1557  minutes, c. 1946–1951

Education Department additional deposit, includes: Don

Westaway Council minutes, Children's Sub-Committee

minutes, staff and pupil statistics, GCSE analysis, Education, Sport  Jersey Instrumental Music Service, childminder and and Culture  foster carer applications and reports on playschemes Department  JA/1602  and nurseries, c. 1930–1998

Education Department additional deposit, includes: files

and photographs relating to clubs, youth clubs and Education, Sport  associations, education reports to the States of Jersey, and Culture  reports on foster children and parents, minutes of Department  JA/1605  committees and newspaper cuttings, c. 1912–2003

Education, Sport  Education Department additional deposit, includes: ESC and Culture  Directorate files and correspondence, minutes, reports Department  JA/1620  and photographs, c. 1948–2005

Rural Economy additional deposit, includes: reports

relating to the States Farm, imports and exports, various Environment  agriculture acts and the Island Development Plan, Division  JA/1520  c. 1921–1980

Haute Vallée School additional deposit, includes: Haute Vallée   St. Helier Boys' School and d'Hautrée School

School  JA/1539  admission registers, c. 1952–1994

Hautlieu School Collection, includes: newspaper

cuttings, photographs, log-books, visitor books, sports

fixtures and results, punishment books, correspondence,

plans, programmes, newsletters and magazines, Hautlieu School  JA/1619  c. 1930s–2000s

Hautlieu School, additional deposit of a CD of Hautlieu School  JA/1624  admission register information

Jersey College for Girls Collection, includes: filing and Jersey College  general correspondence relating to the school,

for Girls  JA/1632  c. 1960s–70s

Jersey Harbours  JA/1626  Jersey Harbour News magazine, summer/autumn 2009

Jersey Heritage Trust

Jersey Heritage Trust

Jersey Heritage Trust

Jersey Heritage Trust

Jersey Heritage Trust

Jersey Heritage Trust

Jersey Post

Jersey Heritage Trust additional deposit, includes: JHT JA/1534  Director's Diaries, c. 1997–2003

Jersey Heritage additional deposit of sound recordings

made during the Jersey Cow and Surfing oral history JA/1581  projects, c 2005–2009

Oral history recording and musical recording of Barbara

Kendall Davies and photograph of a Victorian child, JA/1586  c. 19th century–2009

Jersey Heritage additional deposit of a sound recording

of Stuart Abraham for the Surfing Oral History Project, JA/1591  c. 2009

Jersey Heritage additional deposit, includes: sound

recordings of Christopher Davies and David Ferguson JA/1599  for the Surfing Oral History Project, c. 2009

Jersey Heritage additional deposit, includes: oral history

recordings of David Gainsborough Roberts, Bridget JA/1608  Murphy and John Huelin, c. 2009

JA/1662  Jersey Post publication relating to the stamps of 2009

Jersey Telecom additional deposit, includes: telephone Jersey Telecom  JA/1584  directories and photographs, c. 1924–1980

Jersey Telecom  JA/1616  Jersey Telecom directories for 2009

Jersey Tourism additional deposit, includes: publicity Jersey Tourism  JA/1543  material relating to Jersey, c. 2000s

Judicial Greffe additional deposit, includes: legitimacy Judicial Greffe  JA/1553  petitions and matrimonial files, c. 1949–2006

Judicial Greffe additional deposit, includes: Orders in Judicial Greffe  JA/1558  Council, c. 1980–2006

Judicial Greffe additional deposit, includes: matrimonial

case files, c. 1999–2008 and legitimacy petitions, Judicial Greffe  JA/1606  c. 1978–1995

St. Brelade Registrar's Collection, includes: registers Registrar of  and certificates of birth, marriage and death,

St. Brelade  JA/1647  c. 1842–2006

Parish of

St. Helier  JA/1634  Cemetery Records of the Parish of St. Helier

Parish of

St. Martin  JA/1621   St. Martin parish rate list, 2009

Parish of St. Martin additional deposit, includes:

correspondence from during the Occupation, papers Parish of  relating to public lighting, plans and a report on the

St. Martin  JA/1642  fishing industry, c. 1936–1967

Parish of St. Peter additional deposit, includes: rates Parish of  schedules, roads committee records, licences and

St. Peter  JA/1660  registrar records, c. 1807–2001

Parish of Trinity additional deposit, includes: rates

returns, welfare files and driving licence applications, Parish of Trinity JA/1546  c. 1994–2008

Planning and Environment Collection additional Planning and  deposit, includes: copies of reports, plans and strategies Environment  JA/1600  created by the Department, c. 1980s–2000s

Rural Economy additional deposit includes: minute

books of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, Rural Economy  JA/1525  show booklets, magazines and awards, c. 1961–2000

St. Martin 's

School  JA/1637 St. Martin 's

School  JA/1649

St. Saviour 's

School  JA/1630

States Greffe  JA/1533 States Greffe  JA/1569

St. Martin 's School deposit of admission registers, c. 1950–1982

St. Martin 's School deposit of log-books, c. 1900–2001

St. Saviour 's School Collection, includes: admission registers, school log-books, photographs, plans, visitor books and accounts, c. 1890–2005

States Greffe additional deposit, includes: States Committee Papers and tax agreements, c. 1980–2008

States Greffe additional deposit of tax agreements, 2009

States Greffe additional deposit of a tax agreement with States Greffe  JA/1579  Australia, 2009

States Greffe additional deposit, includes: minutes of States Greffe  JA/1614  the States of Jersey and tax agreements, c. 2007–2009

States Treasury additional deposit, includes: Financial States Treasury  JA/1535  Services Directorate Filing, c. 1980s–2000s

States Treasury additional deposit, includes: Finance

and Economics Committee agendas and minutes, States Treasury  JA/1549  c. 2001–2005

Additional deposit from the Superintendent Registrar Superintendent  Collection, includes: announcement of marriages, Registrar  JA/1530  c. 1996–2002

Treasury and  States of Jersey Treasury and Resources Department Resources  JA/1578  Financial Report and Accounts, 2008

Viscount's Department additional deposit, includes: Viscount's  Coroners' notebooks, Inquest files and Inquest Department  JA/1611  transcripts, 1914–1979