AdminHistory | Contracts for education before 1959 were unfortunately destroyed as being longer needed under the Limitations Act 1939, which limited actions on sealed contracts to 12 years. There is however, a register of Education Committee Contracts, 1903 - 1961 (CA425).
Details of contracts during the School Board period, 1871 - 1902, are to be found in the School Board Buildings Committee minutes (CA303-305 and CA389-391).
The term 'contract' is used loosely and may include tenders, specifications, bills of quantities, plans and drawings.
Abstracts of some contracts are to be found in CA425.
Local authority contracts are generally transferred to the Archive service when they are 15 years old. Criteria have been set for selecting the ones required for permanent preservation. Less than 10% of contracts let by Sheffield City Council are in effect retained, as the majority are for minor works. In 2005 the selection criteria was set as follows:
Keep All new buildings. Contracts inherited from other authorities (e.g. West Riding County Council, Derbyshire County Council and South Yorkshire County Council). Major alteration/refurbishment.
Destroy All bills of quantities Repairs, waterproofing and painting Asphalting Demolition (unless important/significant building).
Appraise Demolition of important/significant building Anything that attracted media attention/public controversy. Any contract worth more than £100,000
Sample Unusual goods/services |