Response 4079411

Response to request for information

Reference

4079411

Response date

23 September 2026

Request

I write to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I understand that Building Control Inspectors' Diaries may be retained for up to 15 years. To enable me to identify the oldest records currently held, I request the following recorded information:

1. A description of how Building Control Inspectors' Diaries are organised and maintained for retrieval. For example, whether they are arranged by individual inspector, calendar year, financial year, geographical area, property, project, or another method.
2. Confirmation of whether the diaries are indexed or searchable by any of these categories.
3. Confirmation of the retention period currently applied to Building Control Inspectors' Diaries.
4. Confirmation of the earliest calendar year for which Building Control Inspectors' Diaries are still held. If the records are retained for less than 15 years, please instead confirm the earliest calendar year still retained under the applicable retention period.
5. If held, a copy of any existing index, register, catalogue, file list or other finding aid relating to the earliest calendar year of Building Control Inspectors' Diaries still retained.

If no such index, register, catalogue, file list or other finding aid is held, please describe how the records for the earliest year are maintained.

If any part of this request would exceed the appropriate limit or requires clarification, I request advice and assistance under section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to help me refine the request so that it can be answered.

I look forward to your response within the statutory time limit.

Response

1. A description of how Building Control Inspectors' Diaries are organised and maintained for retrieval. For example, whether they are arranged by individual inspector, calendar year, financial year, geographical area, property, project, or another method.
   We use the Idox Uniform system which has a diary function. Diary entries are entered into the system by area and can be viewed and retrieved up to the day the inspection is taking place. The diary entries are then distributed to area Officers and then once the inspection has been carried out, the entries disappear from the diary. We therefore have diary records for each building control case which are tied to the application inspection log. Specific date ranges cannot be retrieved from the stored information.
   Area Officers also use their Microsoft Outlook Calendars to record their daily inspection routes. This is more relevant to Lone Working arrangements in that everyone has access to everyone’s calendar and can therefore be tracked to a specific address.
2. Confirmation of whether the diaries are indexed or searchable by any of these categories. We have diary records for each building control case which are tied to the application inspection log. Specific date ranges cannot be retrieved from the stored information.
3. Confirmation of the retention period currently applied to Building Control Inspectors' Diaries. What does the data retention policy say about this? Diary records auto delete once the inspection has been carried out. Outlook calendar entries are subject to the standard retention period of 15 years.
4. Confirmation of the earliest calendar year for which Building Control Inspectors' Diaries are still held. If the records are retained for less than 15 years, please instead confirm the earliest calendar year still retained under the applicable retention period. Diary records auto delete once the inspection has been carried out. Outlook calendar entries are subject to the standard retention period of 15 years, but the process of adding inspections to the Outlook dairy is a fairly recent process change (December 2023).
5. If held, a copy of any existing index, register, catalogue, file list or other finding aid relating to the earliest calendar year of Building Control Inspectors' Diaries still retained. We do not hold the information requested.