2. Introduction The Council’s records are its corporate memory, supporting its core functions and providing evidence of actions and decisions. They are a vital corporate asset, enabling effective management and compliance with legal and regulatory obligations. All records created and received by the Council in the course of its business are Council Information Assets and owned by the Council and not by the individuals, teams, departments or services that create the records. The Council’s Records Management Policy supports compliance with the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 and the Code of Practice on Records Management under Section 61 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Effective records management requires the management of records throughout their lifecycle from creation to disposal. The Records Retention and Disposal Policy sets out the Council’s approach to the retention and disposal of its records. 3. Purpose and Scope This Records Retention and Disposal Policy is part of the Information Management Policy Framework and supports the Records Management Policy through setting out the roles and responsibilities of Information Asset Owners and supporting staff in making record retention and disposal decisions. The Policy applies to any person with access to Council records or any Council Information Asset. This includes staff, contractors, agency staff, members and those working on behalf of the Highland Council. 4. Related Policies This policy is complementary to and should be read in conjunction with the following policies that make up the Information Management Policy Framework     Records Management Policy Information Management Policy Data Protection Policy Information Security & Assurance Policy Page 4 of 14