How we use your personal information

We collect information in a number of ways, for example, by letter, email, face-to-face, telephone, and online forms.

We may also collect information from government departments and from other local or public authorities to enable us to carry out our statutory functions and to provide services to you.

Sometimes you must by law provide your personal information to us, for example, if you are 18 or over and either own or rent a property in the district you must register to pay Council Tax.

Purpose and legal basis for collecting your information

We collect and process information about you, so that we can carry out our functions as a Local Authority and to deliver public services. This includes but is not limited to:

• Administering the assessment and collection of taxes and other revenue including benefits and grants
• The provision of all commercial services including the administration and enforcement of parking regulations and restrictions
• The provision of all non-commercial activities including refuse collections from residential properties,
• Local and national fraud initiatives and data matching (PDF 10kB) under these initiatives
• To prevent and detect fraud or crime and prosecution offenders including the use of CCTV
• Licensing and regulatory activities
• Providing leisure and cultural services
• Carrying out health and public awareness campaigns
• Managing our property
• Maintaining our own accounts and records
• Supporting and managing our employees
• Promoting the services we provide
• Marketing our local tourism
• Carrying out surveys
• Undertaking research
• Internal financial support and corporate functions
• Managing archived records for historical and research reasons
• Corporate administration and all activities we are required to carry out as a data controller and public authority

We collect and process the following categories of personal information:

• Personal and family details
• Lifestyle and social circumstances
• Goods and services
• Financial details
• Employment and education details
• Housing needs
• Visual images, personal appearance and behaviour
• Licenses or permits held
• Student and pupil records
• Business activities
• Case file information

We may also collect and process special categories of personal information that may include:

• Racial or ethnic origin
• Political opinions
• Religious or philosophical beliefs
• Trade union membership
• Genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a person
• Data concerning health
• Data concerning a person’s sex life or sexual orientation

This information is only used for the intended purpose but if we intend to use it for any other purpose we will normally ask you first.  In some cases, the Council may use your information for another purpose if it has a legal duty to do so, to provide a complete service to you, to prevent and detect fraud, or if there is a risk of serious harm or threat to life.