Privacy Policy

South Hams District Council is a controller of personal data. We have a Data Protection Officer who works with us to make sure we process personal information only in the way the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 say that we should.

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What is personal information?

Personal information can be anything that identifies and relates to a living person. This can include information that when put together with other information can then identify a person. For example, this could be your name and contact details. 

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Some information is ‘special’ and needs more protection due to its sensitivity. It’s often information you would not want widely known and is very personal to you. This is likely to include anything that can reveal your: 

• sexuality and sexual health

• religious or philosophical beliefs

• ethnicity

• physical or mental health

• trade union membership

• political opinion

• genetic/biometric data

• criminal history

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How we use your information

The purposes for which we may use your data (including sensitive personal information) include:

• For maintaining and recruiting to our workforce (HR records etc.)

• For delivering specific services to you that we have a statutory duty to provide or that you have requested (collecting waste, considering planning applications, parking services, housing services etc.)

• For occasional customer survey analysis on the service provided to enable us to identify improvements

• For delivering specific services to you that you have requested and fulfilling our statutory duties as a Local Authority (collecting waste, considering planning applications, parking services, housing services, administering the collection of Council Tax)

The personal information you provide will not be used for any other purpose unless required by law, to prevent or detect crime or to protect public funds.

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Length of time we keep your information

We keep your personal information for a finite period of years based on the Council's retention policy.

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Sharing your information

So that the Council can provide you with an efficient services, we may occasionally need to share your information with partner organisations that support the delivery of the service you receive. This may include 

• Other Councils

• Emergency Services (Police, Fire etc.)

• HM's Revenue and Customers (HMRC)

• Department of Work and Pensions

• Voluntary organisations

• Organisations contracted by the Council to deliver our services

Where information is shared, the Council has written agreements and protocols in place to ensure that your data is secure and protected to the same levels that the Council requires.

Retention and transferring of data outside the EU

We will at all times hold your information securely, in hard copy format, electronically or both. Your personal data will be kept secure by the Council and will be kept within the European Economic Union (EEU).

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Where the Council uses a third party to store your personal data and it is stored outside the UK/EEU, the Council will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to keep your personal data secure.

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Individual rights

You have a number of rights under the General Data Protection Regulations. These can be found on the ICO website.

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If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please email the data protection officer.

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The Data Controller for your information

South Hams District Council
Follaton House,
Plymouth Road,
Totnes,
Devon
TQ9 5NE

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Data Protection Officer

The Council has a duty to appoint a Data Protection Officer. The Council's Data Protection Officer is Drew Powell.

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If you have any queries about our privacy notices or would like to exercise your data rights or make a complaint, please contact the Data Protection Officer by:

• Email the data protection officer

• Telephoning 01803 861234

• Write them at: Data Protection Officer, South Hams District Council, Follaton House, Plymouth Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5NE

If you are not happy with how we have handled your complaint, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner's Office to raise your concerns about how we have processed your information or how we have responded to your request to exercise any of your rights in relation to your information:

• Telephone them on 0303 123 1113

• Visit their website at www.ico.org.uk/concerns

• Write to them at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF