Electoral services privacy notice

The following privacy notice applies to electoral services

This notice explains how personal information is going to be used, what it is used for, who it might be shared with and why and for how long it is to be kept.

What information is collected?

We keep records about potential and actual electors, voters, citizens, candidates and their agents, staff employed at an election and the people we need to pay. These may be written down (manual records), or kept on a computer (electronic records).

  • Basic details about you – including name, address, previous address, email address and telephone number, nationality.
  • Unique identifiers including date of birth, national insurance number. 
  • Scanned application forms, letters of correspondence, evidence of some electors’ identity.
  • Notes about the service you have received and any relevant circumstances you have told us.
  • Whether electors are over 76 or under 18.
  • Whether electoral have opted out of the open version of the electoral register.
  • Details and records of about past and current employment with electoral services
  • Right to work and employment details of casual staff
  • Training requests and attendance
  • Records of recipients of the electoral register

Why do we collect your personal information?

  • Deliver services and support to you
  • Manage those services we provide to you
  • Train and manage the employment of our workers who deliver those services
  • Help investigate any worries or complaints you have about your services
  • Keep track of spending on services
  • Check the quality of services

Data Controller

º¬Ðß²ÝÉçÇø Borough Council is registered as a Data Controller with The Information Commissioner’s Office (Registration Number Z5327706).

The council (CBC) is fully committed to complying with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation  (GDPR).

We ensure that your personal data is processed fairly, lawfully kept safe and secure and retained for no longer than is necessary.

The Data Protection Officer for CBC is Head of Legal and Democratic Services. 

If you have any concerns or questions about how we look after your personal information please contact the Data Protection Officer.

The legal basis for processing personal data

  • Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation
  • Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller
  • Consent to you your email and/or telephone number
     

Who we share data with

  • Our software supplier
  • Our contracted printers to print your Poll cards, Postal Packs & other electoral material
  • Registered political parties, elected representatives, candidates, agents and other permitted participants who are able to use it for Electoral Purposes only
  • Credit reference agencies, the British Library, UK Statistics Authority, the Electoral Commission and other statutory recipients of the Electoral Register including º¬Ðß²ÝÉçÇø Borough Council
  • Details of whether you have voted (but not how you have voted) to those who are entitled in law to receive it after an election
  • Where the health and safety of others is at risk,
  • Crime prevention or the detection of fraud as part of the National Fraud Initiative

To verify your identity, the data you provide will be processed by the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service managed by the Cabinet Office. As part of this process your data will be shared with the Department of Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service. .

When the law requires us to pass on information under special circumstances, we pass data to:

  • Internal departments
  • Other local authorities (education, social care children and relevant housing and employment and other services)
  • Central Government
  • Other third-party organisations, as allowed by law
  • Other partner agencies that provide services on our behalf
  • Agencies with whom we have a duty to co-operate, such as the police
  • Housing Associations
  • Benefits Agency
  • HM Court Services

If your details are in the open version of the Electoral Register, your name and address can be sold to third parties who may use it for any purpose. You can opt out of this version at any time and are given the opportunity annually as part of the canvass of all households.

Retention periods

In order to provide you with this service, we rely on our legal obligation.  The Electoral Registration Officer & Returning Officer are obliged to process your personal data in relation to preparing for and conducting elections. Your details will be kept and updated in accordance with our legal obligations and in line with statutory retention periods and in line with the information asset register unless exceptional circumstances require longer retention. All information will be held securely and disposed of confidentially.

Rights

You have the right to:

  1. Be informed of data processing (which is covered by this privacy notice)
  2. Access information (also known as a Subject Access Request)
  3. Have inaccuracies corrected
  4. Have information erased
  5. Restrict processing
  6. Data portability
  7. Intervention in respect of automated decision making
  8. Withdraw Consent (see below)
  9. Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (See below)

To exercise any of these rights please contact the Data Protection Officer.

Withdrawal of consent

The lawful basis upon which CBC process personal data is set out in this notice. However, where personal data is solely processed on the basis of consent, you will have the right to withdraw that consent.

Where can I get advice?

If you have any worries or questions about how your personal information is handled please contact our Data Protection Officer.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data rights, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

  • Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire DK9 5AF
  • Tel:  0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
  • Visit
  • Email casework@ico.org.uk