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PROV Government Client News - April

Standards Development Program

Additional funding for the Standards Development Program has been successfully obtained by PROV. Work on developing a full set of Standards, Specifications and Guidelines for agency use has been underway for some time now. This new funding means that PROV will can now complete the Program over the next two years. In addition, the PROV training offerings will be redeveloped to give agency staff the information and tools they need to implement best practice records management based around the Standards and Specifications. We will continue to consult widely with our you and all our stakeholders to ensure that the quality of the products is high and agency requirements are met. A dedicated Project Manager will be appointed shortly to begin detailed planning for this new phase of the project.

Key Performance Indicators for RM

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Records Management have been developed in a joint Department of Education & Early Childhood Development and PROV project. A number of other Departments are now working with PROV to extend these KPIs for Whole of Victorian Government applicability. The intention is for the KPIs to form part of a Guideline in the redeveloped suite of PROV Standards, Specifications and Guidelines for agencies to use for planning, monitoring and assessing their records management practices and programs.

PROV Records Management Network Meeting

The next PROV Records Management Network Meeting will focus on Information Security. The Government Services Group (GSG) of Department of Treasury and Finance will speak about the recently released Information Security Standards (Information Security Management Framework and Data Classification and Management) . There will also be an update on the Evidence Act and Digitisation Specifications work being done by PROV.

When: 13th May, 2pm - 4.15pm, with networking event afterwards (please note that the session will start promptly at 2pm)
Where: Treasury Theatre, 1 Macarthur Street, Melbourne

Any Victorian Government employees can attend. Please rsvp to andrea.rae@prov.vic.gov.au

New General Retention & Disposal Authority for Local Government

A new General Retention and Disposal Authority for Records of Local Government Functions is nearing completion. Written by PROV staff, in collaboration with an enthusiastic and much appreciated Working Group comprising representatives of a number of Councils from rural, regional and metropolitan areas, the new schedule is more comprehensive and more reflective of the many functions that Councils undertake in their communities.
The GDA will be discussed by the Disposal Sub Committee of the Public Record Advisory Council (PRAC) on Tuesday 19th May. It will then be tabled at the full PRAC Meeting two weeks later, after which it will issued by the Keeper.

The GDA is intended to be used in conjunction with PROS 07/01 General Disposal Authority for Common Administrative Records. Work has been undertaken on PROS 07/01 to ensure that it addresses councils needs, and it will be varied at the same time as the new GDA is issued to incorporate these changes and to extend coverage to councils.

A resource to show linkages between the PROS 98/01, and the new Local Government GDA and PROS 07/01 is also being written, and will be available to councils.

Local Government staff should note that they are not authorised to destroy records using PROS 07/01 until it is varied. However, we do encourage you to begin sentencing records in anticipation of the variation.

Better Practice Guide for Local Government Records Management

PROV has been engaged by the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) to develop a Better Practice Guide for Records Management for Local Government. The PROV Consultancy Services Team has been facilitating workshops with Local Government representatives in order to develop this guide. It is now being finalised and will be made available to Local Government by MAV.

PROV Response to Bushfires

PROV has responded to the recent bushfires in a range of ways. It has provided advice to agencies which may hold records required by the Bushfire Royal Commission and worked with the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material to provide advice and assistance to affected communities. This has included donating archival supplies such as acid free boxes and folders to historical societies and other heritage organisations. In addition, a PROV staff member has been seconded to the Bushfire Royal Commission for 18 months to work as the Manager Information and Records.

PROV Building Closure

As part of a program of building works being conducted by Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) to improve the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne, there will be some disruption to our services from 1 June 2009. As a result of the building works the Victorian Archives Centre will not be open on Saturdays or Mondays from 1 June 2009 to February 2010. This means that the Victorian Archives Centre Reading Room will be closed to the public on Saturdays and Mondays between 1 June 2009 and February 2010.No records will be issued to couriers on Mondays between 1 June 2009 and February 2010.
This necessary work will ensure that the archival collections of both PROV and the National Archives of Australia stored in the Victorian Archives Centre continue to be preserved in state-of-the-art facilities. We apologise for any inconvenience experienced during these closures.

PROV Internal Restructure

PROV has undergone an internal restructure, effective from 4th May 2009. The aim has been to create a structure to support the review and development of PROV recordkeeping standards and support the strategic review and delivery of core services and activities. The Record Services section, which includes the transfer, disposal, standards and policy, assessment, education and training, technical research and consultancy service areas, has been renamed Government Services. This group is led by David Brown, Assistant Director, Government Services.

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