The Council has a statutory obligation under the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 to ensure that all of its information and records are managed appropriately. This includes making proper arrangements for the archiving of the authority's public records.
Aberdeen has the oldest and most complete archive of any Scottish city or town. Indeed, its oldest records are recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as being of outstanding cultural importance to the nation. Given the ease with which modern records can now be created and the different media on which they are stored, an archival transfer and acquisitions policy will help ensure the continuity of this archive for the future and will enable the Council to:
- Provide evidence for its actions.
- Support openness and transparency.
- Promote community engagement through learning and research.
The Archive will not seek to represent any particular historical, political, religious or other viewpoint in its acquisition of records, but to reflect as objectively as possible all aspects of the City's past and present.