Public Task Statement
Bedfordshire Archives
Public Task Statement Version 1.1 July 2015, reviewed December 2020
This statement sets out the functions carried out by Bedfordshire Archives and what information is available for re-use under the Re-Use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015.
The Public Task
Bedfordshire Archives collects, preserves and makes available to the public documentary evidence relating to the historic county of Bedfordshire. A brief overview of our collections is provided in our collections policy and on our website, where we also publish details of access to the collections we hold.
Bedfordshire Archives is a local government service hosted by Bedford Borough Council service and provides an archives service for Luton Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council under service level agreements. The core functions are carried out within a complex legal framework including the Local Government (Records) Act 1962, the Local Government Act 1972, the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967, the Parochial Registers and Records Measure, 1978 (amended 1992), the Manorial Documents Rules 1959 (amended 1963 and 1967).
Information available for re-use
You can see, copy and re-use information that is produced by the service to facilitate its public task (e.g. catalogues, indexes, policies, procedures) provided it is not subject to Data Protection or subject to a third party agreement permitted under the regulations. Copies produced by the service for your use will be charged for as permitted by the regulations to cover the cost of production of the copy.
The service also holds and uses documents produced by other people and organisations. You can also see archives and publications held at Bedfordshire Archives free of charge during our opening hours. You can make a copy of most of these items for personal use but the law for re-use is more restrictive. Constraints include copyright and Data Protection and are outlined in our access and copying policies. Details of these policies are on our website or contact us at the address below.
Other work that the service carries out under contract e.g. research commissioned by members of the public paying for the hire of the service’s accumulated staff expertise and information is outside our public task. Information relating to products derived from public task activities for re-sale in the commercial market are outside our public task.
Charging
Under the regulations the archives service is permitted to charge for re-use. Information supplied in response to a request for re-use will be charged at a price that reflects the direct costs, a reasonable apportionment of indirect and overhead costs and a reasonable return on investment. Please note that under the regulations all users must be charged the same cost-reflective rate for the same type of re-use (e.g. commercial publishing) regardless of what type of re-user they are.
Our charges are reviewed annually and are published on our website.
Review and complaints
This statement is due to be reviewed in December 2021. If you have any queries or complaints about this public task statement, please submit them to archive@bedford.gov.uk or in writing to Bedfordshire Archives Service, Riverside Building, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP. If you have a complaint about the service under the 2015 regulations you can submit it using our general complaints handling process using the address or e-mail above.