Data held by councillors privacy notice - Privacy notices

Councillors are elected to the local authority to represent their ward, so live or work in the local area. They have a wide-ranging role with three main areas of responsibility;

• Ward representation
• Decision making
• Community leadership

This privacy notice sets out how elected councillors will process enquiries and/or correspondence and use your personal data.

To deal with your members' enquiry, we will need to process your personal data. The information we collect includes your name, address, contact number and email address.

Additional personal data may be necessary in order to progress your enquiry and/or deal with your correspondence.

All personal data held, is processed in accordance with data protection law. The data controller for the information outlined in this privacy notice is the councillor.

Your data will be used to:

• Deal with your enquiry
• Develop solutions in situations where there are a number of similar concerns

Councillors rely mostly on public task as a lawful basis for the processing of personal information, for example constituency work. However, there may be a circumstance where the councillor may need to contact you for permission to share information that they think is particularly sensitive.

To progress your enquiry and depending on its nature, it may be necessary for the councillor to share your information with appropriate council staff and/or agencies such as the police and health services. Only the information necessary to progress your enquiry will be shared.

Councillors will never sell constituents' data on to third parties.

If there is any information that you do not wish the councillor to share with third parties, please make this known before the councillor progresses your enquiry. However, please be aware that it may not be possible to progress a matter for you on an anonymous basis.

Councillors will not normally share your information with organisations without your consent. However, there may be certain circumstances where we would share without consent such as where we are required to do so by law, to safeguard public safety, and in risk of harm or emergency situations. We will only share the minimum information for the purpose, on a need to know basis and with appropriate individuals.

Councillors will only keep your information for as long as is necessary, for the minimum amount of time, for the purpose it was collected, and in line with statutory requirements.

Your personal information will be kept for no longer than six months from when your enquiry is resolved.

You have a number of rights under data protection law, including the right to request your information and to request that the information is amended or erased if incorrect.

To request your records, you will need to provide proof of identification and write to the Information Governance Team, Herefordshire Council, Plough Lane, Hereford HR4 0LE or email informationgovernance@herefordshire.gov.uk

You also have the right to make a complaint about a councillor's handling of your personal data to the Information Commissioner's Office.

If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is used, please contact the democratic services team in the first instance.

You can also contact the Data Protection Officer, Herefordshire Council, Plough Lane, Hereford HR4 0LE, email informationgovernance@herefordshire.gov.uk

You can find more information about data protection and how it applies to you on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

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