Privacy Notice - General Council

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is a registered data controller and we collect and use information personal to you in accordance with data protection legislation.

This outlines what you can expect from us when you provide us with your personal information.

Why are we asking for your information and how will we use the information about you?

We need to process your personal information to enable us to deliver our statutory and day-to-day services to you and respond to any queries. We will always ensure that we have a lawful basis to collect your personal information and as a Local Authority we will rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

• processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest
• processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation
• processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of a data subject or another person
• processing is necessary for the performance of a contract
• consent of the data subject

When we collect 'special categories of personal data', such as health, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation etc, we may rely on the following legal bases:

• processing is necessary for the delivery of health and social care services
• explicit consent of the data subject
• processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest
• processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims
• processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of a data subject or another individual

To find out the lawful basis for requesting your personal information, visit our Good governance webpages.

Who will use your information?

In some instances, we may share your information with other services within the Council as part of service delivery or because we are legally required to do so.

An example of this would include sharing information with schools as part of the schools admissions process, sharing information with adult care homes when arranging residential care or sharing information with the council tax department to prevent fraud.

We may also share your information with external organisations as part of service delivery or because we are legally required to do so.

An example of this would include sharing information with other Local Authorities or agencies, health organisations, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to prevent fraud, with Police in relation to prevention and detection of crime or with other Councils in relation to the safeguarding of children.

In the event of an emergency or the Emergency Plan is actioned, the Council has a legal basis to share personal information with relevant organisations to ensure that the appropriate action is taken.

The Council will share information with the Electoral Returning Officer (ERO) as part of the legal powers which the ERO possesses to ensure that the Electoral Register is comprehensive, or to validate the identity of applicant voters.

Other organisations may share your personal information with us for the purpose of service delivery or because they are legally required to do so. An example of this would include when the NHS share information belonging to their patients with our adult social care teams in order to support them to live independently in their own homes.

The Council will also share data as part of the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) which is conducted by the Cabinet Office to assist with the prevention and detection of fraud.

Prevent Strategy

The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on local government, criminal justice, education, child care, health and social care and the police to all to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. Prevent is part of the Government's Counter Terrorism Strategy known as contest. The aim of contest is to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism. If the Council is notified that a Prevent referral has been made about an individual in the borough, they may need to share personal information to ensure, for example, that a person at risk of radicalisation is given appropriate support (for example on the Channel programme). Information sharing will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and is governed by legislation. For more information on the  prevent strategy go to the PREVENT webpage.

If you would like further information about who your information is shared with, visit our Good governance webpages.

What personal information do we hold about you?

Depending on the needs of the service and the purpose of processing, we may collect some or all of the following types of information:

• identity (name, date of birth, gender, passport, national insurance number, family details)
• contact details (address, email address, telephone numbers)
• technical data (IP address)
• social data (lifestyle, housing needs)
• financial (bank account, payment card, transaction data)
• visual images, personal appearance and behaviour
• business activities (employment, licences and permits held)

Under certain circumstances we may need to collect and process the following special categories of personal data:

• medical (physical or mental health details)
• racial or ethnic origin
• trade union membership
• political affiliation
• political opinions
• offences (including alleged offences)
• religious or other beliefs of a similar nature
• genetic data or biometric data

To find out more information about this, visit our Good governance webpages.

How long will we keep your personal information?

Your information will be held in accordance with the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Retention Schedule.

How can you access or correct your personal information?

You have the right to request the following in relation to the personal information we hold. Subject to some legal exceptions, you have the right to:

• request a copy of the information the Council holds about you
• have any inaccuracies corrected
• have your personal data erased
• place a restriction on our processing of your data
• object to processing; and
• request your data to be ported (data portability)

If you would to like to exercise any of the rights outlined above please contact the Information Governance Team on foiandcomplaints@stockton.gov.uk. If you would like further information about your rights to your information, visit our Good governance webpages.

What happens if I don't provide you with my personal information?

If you do not provide us with the personal information we have requested, it may not be possible to deliver our services to you or respond to your requests or queries. For more information about how this might affect you, visit our Good governance webpages.

How to contact us

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Data Protection Officer is Martin Skipsey.

If something goes wrong with your personal information or if you have any questions about how we use it, please contact the Information Governance team in the first instance at foiandcomplaints@stockton.gov.uk or 01642 527521.

If you remain unhappy about the way in which we have handled your personal information and wish to complain, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office.

Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745

Fax: 01625 524 510