Archive Service Accreditation Committee meeting minutes
The minutes of the last committee meeting, held on 14 May 2026, are available to read on this page. If you would like to read minutes from previous years, please contact accreditation@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Meeting details
- Date of meeting
14 May 2026
- Current committee members present
Lesley Ferguson (Chair), Fran Baseby, Susan Corrigall, Sam Johnston, Richard Meunier, Tina Morton, Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan, Stephen Scarth, Lisa Snook, Matti Watton
- Outgoing committee members present
Sarah Aitchison, Catherine Taylor, Joanna Terry
- Invited speakers and observers
Isabel Wilson (Arts Council England) and Lisa Shortall (The Heritage Council)
- In attendance from the Welsh Government
Paul Kindred and James Costin
- Programme team
Melinda Haunton and Jane Shillaker
1. Welcome and apologies
Lesley Ferguson welcomed the new committee members and noted that Sarah Aitcheson, Catherine Taylor and Joanna Terry would be stepping down from the Committee after today’s meeting. Lesley Ferguson thanked them for their work and contribution as committee members.
Apologies were received from Teresa Doherty and Claire Harrington.
2. Minutes and matters arising
The minutes of the Archive Service Accreditation Committee held in May 2025 were agreed.
It was noted that there was some repetition in paragraphs 4.1. and 4.2 that could be removed.
3. Statistical return and reflection on 2025-26
Jane Shillaker provided a headline briefing on the annual statistical return.
It was agreed that reaching 200 accredited services was an achievement worth celebrating.
It was noted that there were differences of approach across the home nations to the rollout of the scheme.
Update on implementing the accreditation review
The revised standard is now implemented, and archive services will apply against this standard in the future.
Emerging trends
Melinda Haunton noted the mix of new services who were applying for Archive Service Accreditation. The National Archives was rescheduling some overdue applications which may be referred to accreditation panels in due course.
Peer reviewers
The Archive Service Accreditation Committee thanked those peer reviewers who supported assessments during the 2025-26 assessment year:
Julia Ahvernsalmi, Sue Breakell, Victoria Cranna, Mark Dorrington, Caroline Gould, Gary Haines, Jan Hicks, Vicky Holmes, Jemma Lee, Richard Lewis, Ruth MacLeod, Tim Procter, Sarah Radford, Louise Ray, Gillian Staples, Caroline Walter, Matti Watton, Simon Wilson, Richard Wragg.
Minor updates to programme guidance and application form
Changes to the Archive Service Accreditation guidance document and the application form were approved.
It was noted that references to ‘outside’ in questions 10 and 11 should read ‘offsite’.
4. Policy and precedent from 2025-26 panels
Specific precedents and issues
Regarding the minutes of the 5 November 2025 meeting, item 1.6: Charging for access, the committee noted that no precedent was necessary in this instance.
The National Archives, National Records of Scotland and the Welsh Government (Culture Division) agreed to meet with Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan to discuss proposed guidance advice on what points archive services should consider if considering charging for onsite access.
Agreed language regarding local government reorganisation in England
The paragraph was agreed as follows:
The Accreditation Committee notes that:
Local government reorganisation, particularly change of funding/governance model and/or geographical coverage for an archive service delivering on behalf of a local authority or authorities, will potentially constitute “significant change” under the terms of the award. This may therefore change the timetabling of applications, including requiring full reapplications to understand the impact of this change. Award holders will not be disadvantaged by any timetabling changes that result from the impact of local government reorganisation, which will be discussed and agreed on a case by case basis.
Archive Service Accreditation Committee
Decisions not to award, and removal of award
It was agreed that the programme should not formally publicise or name services where accreditation was removed, except where professional malpractice had occurred, and should continue to not publicise applicants who failed to meet the standard.
Any publicity should be led by the archive service where appropriate in such cases.
List of precedents agreed by the committee
The panel noted the list of precedents and agreed that no updates were required.
5. Annual assessor meeting feedback
The minutes of the 2025 annual assessor meeting were noted.
6. Update from Arts Council England
Isabel Wilson updated the committee on progress regarding the redesign of the Museum Accreditation Standard.
7. Update from The Heritage Council
Lisa Shortall stated that there was need for an Accreditation Standard and Scheme in Ireland and that this would be based on the UK model with some changes around the language the reflect the Irish context. The development was at an very early stage.
8. Discussion and group activity
What makes a panel work?
The committee members discussed how to make panels work better given the number of cases which are coming through at some panels, for example employing greater use of technology.
9. Archive Service Accreditation and AI
AI was viewed positively for both archive service delivery and development, and for managing Archive Service Accreditation where appropriate.
Use of AI to enhance applications was not currently a major concern but highlighted the importance of validation visits to confirm authenticity.
The committee discussed AI use in archive service delivery and development, and whether accreditation should ask how services use AI.
It was agreed this developing area should be included on next year’s committee agenda.
10. Any other business
An update from the Welsh Government
James Costin and Stacy O’Sullivan are now leading support for the archive sector in Wales, with James the most senior member of the team. It is still to be agreed who will be Welsh Government’s representative on the Archive Service Accreditation Committee, although it is likely to be James Costin.
11. Future meetings
Dates and committee member attendance for the next meetings of the accreditation panels are:
- 1 July 2026
Susan Corrigall, Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan, Lesley Ferguson, Claire Harrington, Sam Johnston, Richard Meunier, Tina Morton, Lisa Snook, Matti Watton
- 4 November 2026
Fran Baseby, Susan Corrigall, Teresa Doherty, Lesley Ferguson, Sam Johnston, Richard Meunier, Tina Morton, Lisa Snook, Matti Watton