You are: Website Privacy Statement

Privacy Statement

This privacy notice tells you what to expect when Criccieth Town Council collects personal information.

1.It applies to information we collect:

a. If you visit our website

We use a third party to host our website and collect anonymised information about users' activity on the site, for example the number of users viewing pages on the site, to monitor and report on the effectiveness of the site and help us improve it.

b. When you contact us by e-mail, by letter or by phone regarding services or facilities

The information you provide (personal information such as name, address, email address, phone number, organisation) will be processed and stored to enable us to contact you and respond to your correspondence, provide information and/or access our facilities and services. Your personal information will be not shared or provided to any other third party. We will keep personal information contained in line with our retention policy

c. If you submit a complaint to us

When we receive a complaint from an individual we make up a file containing the details of the complaint. This normally contains the identity of the complainant and any other individuals involved in the complaint. We will only use the personal information we collect to process the complaint and to check on the level of service we provide. Any compilation or publishing of statistics showing information such as the number of complaints we receive will be undertaken in a form which does not identify anyone. We usually have to disclose the complainant’s identity to whoever the complaint might be about and to whomsoever is dealing with the complaint. This is inevitable where, for example, the accuracy of a person’s record is in dispute. If a complainant does not want information identifying him or her to be disclosed, we will try to respect that. However, it may not be possible to handle a complaint on an anonymous basis. However, that will be explained to the complainant and for them to make a decision about how the complaint may be progressed. We will keep personal information contained in line with our retention policy. This means that information relating to a complaint will be retained in a secure environment and access to it will be restricted according to the ‘need to know’ principle. Similarly, where enquiries are submitted to us we will only use the information supplied to us to deal with the enquiry and any subsequent issues and to check on the level of service we provide. However, that will be explained to the complainant and for them to make a decision about how the complaint may be progressed in accordance with our policy.

d. If you apply to us for a grant

When individuals/organisations apply for a grant under the Council’s scheme, they provide contact details and an outline of their proposal/request and normally the amount they are requesting. Any personal information that is provided in the application is used only for the purpose of reviewing the grant application and the ongoing administration and management of any grants that are awarded. We will also publish information about those awarded a grant and those unsuccessful in our Council minutes available to the public on our website including the amount of grant awarded and the recipient of the grant. This information is also released to our Internal Auditors.

e. If you are a volunteer, member of a local organization or society or participating in our Community Plan Consultation

When an individual has agreed to be a volunteer or is a contact for a local organization or society or participating in our Community Plan consultation we will use their details for the purpose only for which it was collected. We normally expect such individuals to have completed a consent form for this purpose to keep their contact details which confirms how their information is to be used. This information will be kept on file and not shared with third parties.

f. If you are applying for a job or are a current or former employee

When individuals apply to work at the Council, we will only use the information they supply to us to process their application and to monitor recruitment statistics. Where we want to disclose information to a third party, for example where we want to take up a reference we will not do so without informing them beforehand unless the disclosure is required by law. Personal information about unsuccessful candidates will be held for 12 months after the recruitment exercise has been completed, it will then be destroyed or deleted. Once a person has taken up employment with the Council, we will compile a file relating to their employment. The information contained in this will be kept secure and will only be used for purposes directly relevant to that person’s employment. Once their employment with the Town Council has ended, we will retain the file in accordance with the requirements of our retention schedule and then delete it.

g. Information about Councillors

Personal contact information on elected Councillors is kept on file. Information collected on Councillors also includes acceptance of office and register of interests, which is a statutory requirement and is public information. Information on payments/expenses to Councillors is also published on Council agendas and minutes, is shared with Internal Audit, published on our website and submitted to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales on an annual basis.

h. If you provide a service on our behalf

Information on individuals/businesses/contractors providing a service on behalf of the Council will be kept (e.g. tenders, invoices, quotes for services) – for audit and payment purposes on a file in accordance with the requirements of our retention schedule and will then be deleted once the need for this information is not required. Payments for such services will be published on Council agendas/minutes and which are available publicly on our website.

2. Information Security

Criccieth Town Council has a duty to ensure the security of personal data. We make sure that your information is protected from unauthorised access, loss, manipulation, falsification, destruction or unauthorised disclosure. This is done through appropriate technical measures
and appropriate policies. The council will only transfer personal information outside the European Economic Area where necessary safeguards have been secured by contract.
We will only keep your data for the purpose it was collected for and only for as long as is necessary, after which it will be deleted. You many request the deletion of your data held by Criccieth Town Council at any time (see 6. below).

3. Children

We will not process any data relating to a child (under 13) without the express parental/ guardian consent of the child concerned.

4. Access to Information

In accordance with Data Protection Regulations you have the right to request access to the information we have on you. You can do this by contacting our Town Clerk (see details below). If we do hold information about you, we will:

Give you a description of it;
Tell you why we are holding it;
Tell you who it could or has been disclosed to;
Let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.

5. Information Correction

If you believe that the information we have about you is incorrect, you may contact us so that we can update it and keep your data accurate. Please contact our Town Clerk to request this (see details below).

6. Information Deletion

If you wish Criccieth Town Council to delete the information about you, please contact our Town Clerk to request this (see details below). Where you exercise your right to removal of your personal data, we will continue to maintain a core set of personal data to ensure we do not contact you inadvertently in future. We may also need to retain some financial records about you for statutory purposes (e.g. anti-fraud and accounting matters). The ‘right to be forgotten’ is a qualified right and the public interest test will always be applied when a request for deletion of personal data is made

7. Right to Object

If you believe that your data is not being processed for the purpose it has been collected for, you may object. Please contact our Town Clerk to object (see details below).

8. Conclusion: In accordance with the law, we only collect the amount of information about you

that is necessary for correspondence, information, service provision and employment purposes. All personal data collected (or supplied) will be treated in accordance with current data protection laws in the UK. We do not use your data for purposes other than those specified (see 1 above). We make sure your data is stored securely. We delete all information deemed to be no longer necessary. We will not disclose personal information without consent and unless legally required to do so. We do not sell personal information to other organisations.

9. Complaints

If you have a complaint regarding the way your personal data has been processed, you may make a complaint to Criccieth Town Council’s Clerk. If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner. There is no charge for making an appeal. Contact details are: The Information Commissioner’s Office –Wales- : 2nd Floor, Churchill House, Churchill Way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH ; e-mail wales@ico.org.uk ; Phone 02920678400, Fax 02920678399.

10. How to contact us

If you want to contact us:

Dr Catrin Jones, Clerk, Criccieth Town Council,
Cae Gwenllian, Pentrefelin, Criccieth. Gwynedd LL52 0RB
E-mail: clerccriccieth@gmail.com
Tel: 01766 523294