Closure of a Government Agency ‐ Disposing of the Records
| Date | 01 April 1998 |
| Pages | 67-73 |
| Published date | 01 April 1998 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007231 |
| Author | Sophie Philipson |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Closure of a Government Agency
– Disposing of the Records
SOPHIE PHILIPSON
Abstract
Six months prior to its closure, Tyne and Wear Development Corporation, a
government agency, appointed a records management professional to assist in
the disposal of its records. This article documents the challenges the project pre-
sented and the procedures which were implemented to ensure appropriate actions
were taken. It concludes with a summary of the issues which arose during the
project and their implications.
The Organisation
Tyne and Wear Development Corporation (TWDC) was a government-
appointed agency with a remit to regenerate 6,000 acres of land border-
ing the Rivers Tyne and Wear in the North East of England. The land
lies within the scope of 4 local authorities – the cities of Newcastle upon
Tyne and Sunderland, and the Metropolitan Boroughs of North and
South Tyneside – and regeneration projects were managed by four
Project Directors, each devoted to one of these areas. The Corporation
commenced its work in May 1987 and finished in March 1998, with a
non-operational period taking place until June 1998. Major projects
included Royal Quays at North Shields, Sunderland Enterprise Park and
the regeneration of both Newcastle Quayside and South Shields
Riverside. TWDC also began work on one of Britain’s millennium flag-
ship developments for the 21st Century, The International Centre for
Life in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Corporation had 2 offices – the main office in Newcastle upon Tyne
and another in Sunderland. Typical business functions existed such
as finance and administration as well as functions specific to the
Corporation’s work, such as community development. The Administration
Department comprised an Administrative Assistant and a Senior
Records Management Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, April 1998, pp. 67–73
Records Management Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, April 1998
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