Higher Kinnerton Community Council (the Council) is committed to protecting the personal information we hold of people who use our services.

We are committed to managing personal information in line with current legislation and best practice. Whenever you provide personal information, we will treat information in accordance with our privacy policy.

This statement of privacy applies to the Council’s use of any personal information we collect or create about you. This includes information:

• we collect from visitors to our website and users of our web applications

• given to us by phone, social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, email, in letters, in forms and other correspondence

• given in person

What information we may collect about you and where it comes from:

The Council collects personally identifiable information whenever you access or sign up to any of our services, request information, make a complaint or participate in activities provided by us. This information may include your name, email address, home or work address, telephone or mobile number, date of birth or bank account details. We also collect anonymous demographic information, which is not unique to you, such as postcode, age, gender, preferences, interests and favourites.

Description of processing:

The following is a broad description of the way the Council processes personal information. Reasons/purposes for processing – we may process personal information to enable us to:

• Deliver public services including to understand your needs to provide the services that you request and to understand what we can do for you and inform you of other relevant services;

• Confirm your identity to provide some services;

• Contact you by post, email, telephone or using social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp);

• Help us to build up a picture of how we are performing;

• Prevent and detect fraud and corruption in the use of public funds and where necessary for the law enforcement functions;

• Enable us to meet all legal and statutory obligations and powers including any delegated functions;

• Carry out safeguarding procedures (including due diligence and complaints handling);

• Maintain our own accounts and records;

• Seek your views, opinions or comments;

• Notify you of our facilities, services, events and staff, councillors and other role holders or changes to the same;

• Send you communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you. These may include information about campaigns, appeals, other new projects or initiatives;

• Process relevant financial transactions including grants and payments for goods and services supplied to the council

• Allow the statistical analysis of data so we can plan the provision of services.

Type/classes of information processed:

We may process information relating to the above reasons/purposes. This information may include:

• Personal details

• Details about lifestyle and social circumstances

• Details about goods and services

• Financial details

• Employment and education details

• Details about customers, suppliers and staff

• Details about people contracted to provide a service

• Details about complainants, enquirers or their representatives

• Details about professional advisers and consultants

• Details about people captured by CCTV images

• Details about elected members

We may also process sensitive classes of information that may include:

• physical or mental health details

• racial or ethnic origin

• religious or other beliefs

• trade union membership

Who the information is processed about:

We may process personal information about residents, customers and clients, advisers and other professional experts and employees.

Who the information may be shared with:

We sometimes need to share the personal information we process with the individual themselves and with other organisations. Where this is necessary we are required to comply with all aspects of the law. What follows is a description of the types of organisations we may need to share some of the personal information we process with for one or more reasons. Where necessary or required we share information with:

• local community groups, charities, business associates, professional advisers

• family, associates and representatives of the person whose personal data we are processing

• suppliers

• local and central government

• financial organisations

• auditors, ombudsmen and regulatory authorities

• credit reference and debt collection agencies

• healthcare professionals, social and welfare organisations

• current, past or prospective employers

• examining bodies

• service providers

How we use the information we collect about you:

We process personal information to enable us to provide a range of services to local people and businesses which include:

• maintaining our own accounts and records

• supporting and managing our employees

• promoting the services we provide

• carrying out health and public awareness campaigns

• managing our property

• carrying out surveys

• crime prevention including the use of CCTV

• corporate administration and all activities we are required to carry out as a data controller and public authority

• undertaking research

• internal financial support and corporate functions

• managing archived records for historical and research reasons

• planning including applications and decisions, building control, local plans and conservation

Consent

We will ask you for your permission to process your personal information if it is not covered by a public task or legal duty. This might be when we want to use your information in a way which is unexpected or different to the original purpose where there is no legal basis. If we rely on your consent to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. If you wish to withdraw your consent, please contact the service that asked for your consent in the first instance.

We will need the parental consent of children under the age of 13 if we offer services directly to children. We will make reasonable efforts to verify age and parental responsibility.

When we may use your details to contact you

The Council may contact you in a variety of circumstances, for instance:

• in relation to any service, activity or online content you have requested or signed up for to make sure that we can deliver the services to you, e.g. to verify your email when you sign up to an online account, to help you reset your password or to check if you still want to use the service (if your account has not been active recently)

• in response to any correspondence we receive from you or any comment or complaint you make

• in relation to any personalised services you are receiving

• to invite you to participate in surveys about the council services

Retention Policy

Retention PeriodOur retention policy can be obtained by contacting the Clerk, or by visiting our website.
Where storedElectronic, Paper
AuthorityHigher Kinnerton Community Council
Information Asset OwnerHigher Kinnerton Community Council
Location HeldElectronically or Secure File
Permanent PreservationNo
Sensitive Personal DataNo

Your rights and your personal data

Rights of Individuals (Data Subjects) whose personal data is being collected, held or processed.

The right to be informedYou have the right to be informed about the collection and use of your personal data.
The right of accessYou have the right to request the personal data we hold on you as well as why we have that personal data, who has access to the personal data and where we obtained the personal data from. Once we have received your request we will respond within one month.
The right of rectificationYou have the right to inaccurate personal data being rectified, or completed if it is incomplete If the data we hold on you is out of date, incomplete or incorrect, you can inform us and your data will be updated.
The right to eraseYou have the right to have your personal data being erased. If you feel that we should no longer be using your personal data or that we are unlawfully using your personal data, you can request that we erase the personal data we hold. When we receive your request we will confirm whether the personal data has been deleted or the reason why it cannot be deleted (for example because we need it for to comply with a legal obligation).
The right to restrict processingYou have the right to request that we stop processing your personal data or ask us to restrict processing. Upon receiving the request we will contact you and let you know if we are able to comply or if we have a legal obligation to continue to process your data.
The right to data portabilityYou have the right to request that we transfer some of your data to another data controller. We will comply with your request, where it is feasible to do so, within one month of receiving your request
The right to objectYou have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances. You can make an objection verbally or in writing. Once we have received your request we will respond within one month.

Further Information

If you require more information regarding data protection and your rights, please refer to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) website or if you have specific questions about this Privacy Notice or the personal data we hold about you please contact the Clerk to the Council at:

liz@higherkinnerton.org.uk

We keep this Privacy Notice under regular review and we will place any updates on the Council’s website at www.higherkinnerton.org.uk. This Notice was last reviewed in May 2024.