Data Protection Act 1998
Personal information – your right to know
Why we hold personal information
We keep personal information about you so that we can:
· Provide the services you need;
· Collect Council Tax or rent;
· Assess the correct level of benefit for your needs; and
· Give you up-to-date information about our services.
Who we share this information with
We may share information you provide with other agencies involved in providing services to you. We may also share it with other council departments, if you have agreed to this or if we have to do so legally. The information we share will only be the minimum amount necessary so we can provide services.
We may also reveal your personal information to:
· Government departments if we have to do so legally; or
· Other local authorities when you have moved from one area to another and the new authority needs confirmation of the services you are receiving.
We often have to provide information to other agencies for statistical research. However, when we have to do this we make the information anonymous first. This means it doesn’t include anything that could be used to identify you - such as your name and address – unless you have given us permission to share that information.
In a small number of cases, we will share information with the police (close circuit television (CCTV) images, for example). However, we would only do this in order to prevent or detect a crime.
How we keep the information and who is responsible for it
We hold the information confidentially either on computer or in secure manual filing systems. We may store some CCTV images on videocassettes.
Each council department, which provides services to you, is responsible for maintaining your records and keeping them secure.
Our employees have a duty of care when using your personal information. This includes respecting your right to confidentiality and making sure that we use information and give it to others only if we have to in order to carry out the service being provided or because we have to legally.
Do you have the right to see all your personal information?
You have the right to:
· Ask if we hold personal information about you;
· Ask what we use the information for;
· Receive a copy of the information we hold;
· Know whether we reveal your personal information to other people or organisations; and
· Ask us to correct any incorrect data we hold.
You are entitled to see your personal information, with some specific exceptions. For example, you will not usually be allowed to see personal information that contains details about someone else - even a member of your own family - until that person has given permission.
In cases where any personal information relates to your health, we may need to ask the relevant health professional for permission to reveal this information to you.
There may be occasions when we cannot give you access to personal information because, for very good and valid reasons, we believe it will not be in your best interests to see it. If this is the case, we will give you a full explanation at the time so that you understand why we have made this decision.
How you can apply for access to your personal information
To access your personal information you will need to fill in a ‘Data Subject Access Request Form’. This form will give us enough information to confirm your identity and any other details that you think may help us to find your information. (This can include your date of birth, name and address, and the name of the departments you dealt with.) If you have difficulty with the form, our Information Rights Officer will help you to fill it in. If you would prefer help or support from outside the council, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau may be able to help you.
We will provide a printout of the information from the computer system or a photocopy of your manual file. If we are providing personal information from Social Services, we will make special arrangements so you can see your records. Depending on the nature of your enquiry, different rules may apply.
If you want to see CCTV images we may hold, we will ask you to provide some quite specific information such as:
· Where the CCTV camera is (the address and position);
· The date and time that the image was taken;
· A recent photograph to help us identify the relevant images;
· A description of the likely activities the CCTV took; and
· Whether you need a hard copy of the images or if a ‘viewing’ would be enough.
We will respond to all requests for personal information within 40 days of receiving your correctly filled-in application form. You must also pay the fee of £10.
What you should do when you receive the information
You should check the details we provide to make sure that you have received all the information that you are entitled to and to make sure it is correct.
If you think there is information on the file that is wrong, you may ask us to change it by writing to the relevant department. We will then consider your request and either amend your details or, if this is not possible, explain the reasons why we cannot make changes.
What if you want to see your information?
If you would like to see your personal information, please contact the Information Rights Officer either in writing or by phone. They will ask you to fill in an application for a ‘subject access request’, which you must return together with the £10 fee and proof of identity. If you prefer, they will arrange an appointment for you to visit our offices so that they can help you fill in the form, check your identity and receive the fee.
The Information Rights Officer’s contact details are as follows.
Vincenzo Ardilio, Information Rights Officer
Guildford Borough Council
Clerk and Solicitor’s Department
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 5BB
Phone 01483 444053
E-mail: [email protected]
You can get more information on data protection legislation from:
The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF.
Phone: 011625 545745
Website: http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/
We can provide this text in large print, Braille, on audiocassette and in other formats if you ask. Please also let us know if you need this document in a different language. You can contact us on 01483 444053 if you would like another version. We will send it to you as soon as we can.