Consultations and Surveys - Privacy Notice

The purpose for this processing

On occasion, when we need to know more detail about what residents, partners and wider communities think about specific issues that affect them, we consult with them.

We sometimes have a statutory requirement to consult our residents; for example, for issues such as the Local Plan.

There are also other non-statutory reasons that we might want to run a consultation exercise or survey. These include:

• to improve planning, policy and decision making
• to make better use of resources
• to access new information, ideas and suggestions
• to encourage greater participation in our activities
• to measure residents’ satisfaction with us
• to shape our activities around residents’ needs and aspirations

The Council may wish to contact you about the consultations:

• if you have asked to be notified about our forthcoming surveys or consultations
• if you have requested to be kept informed about the results of a particular survey or consultation and/or subsequent decisions about the proposals
• if you have said you would like to be involved in planning or implementing future services or to volunteer in other ways
• to administer incentives, such as prize draws, that encourage participation in our surveys

Legal basis for this processing

Statutory consultations are bound by legal requirements, with strict rules on how they should be conducted and are processed under the following lawful bases:

UK GDPR Article 6(1)(c) - to comply with our legal obligation(s) e.g. where there is a statutory requirement to consult.

UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e) and Data Protection Act 2018, section 8(c) - for the performance of a public interest task which has a clear basis in law or in the exercise of official authority.

This Privacy Notice is supplemented by the Council’s Service Privacy Notices.  

Non-statutory consultations are processed under the following bases:

UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a) - consent (of parent or guardian (young people consultation).

UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e) and Data Protection Act 2018, section 8(c) - for the performance of a public interest task which has a clear basis in law or in the exercise of official authority.

UK GDPR Article 9(2)(j) and DPA 2018, section 10(2) and Schedule 1, Part 1, para.4 (research etc.) - where processing is necessary for the reasons of substantial public interest.

For the purposes of our legitimate interest (we can use ‘legitimate interests’ if we can demonstrate that the processing is for purposes other than for performing our tasks as a public authority). In this context, our objectives may include research into customer satisfaction, awareness and usage surveys and consultations on what our residents, partners and wider communities think about specific issues that affect them.

What data we collect about you

Some surveys will be anonymous. Where this is not the case we may ask for the following details:

• Name
• Organisation name (if relevant)
• Address (business or personal)
• E-mail address (business or personal)
• Telephone number (business or personal)

If required for a specific topic, we may ask about your:

• Postcode
• Household, family, lifestyle, or social circumstances
• financial circumstances
• physical or mental health or condition
• physical characteristics (eg: height and weight);
• education and professional training
• employment status
• satisfaction with the Council and/or its partners

Anonymisation

Your personal information may be converted ('anonymised') into statistical or aggregated data in such a way that ensures that you cannot be identified from it. Aggregated data cannot, by definition, be linked back to you as an individual and may be used to conduct research and analysis, including the preparation of statistics for use in our reports.

How long do we keep your personal data?

We keep your personal information for the minimum period necessary.

The information outlined in this Privacy Notice will be kept in accordance with the Council’s retention schedule, unless exceptional circumstances require longer retention.

All information will be held securely and disposed of confidentially.

Who do we share it with?

• Relevant internal officers and departments
• Relevant third parties – such as partners, processors
• Statutory bodies eg: the Planning Inspectorate
• Local authorities
• Councillors
• Local/regional partners or public agencies (where the consultation or survey is run on behalf of or in association with them)

In the case of consultations, we may publish a summary of the consultation responses and in some cases, the responses themselves, but these will not contain any personal data, unless you are acting on behalf of a public body, company or organisation, in which case your job title for example may be published.

Where we get it from?

Individuals themselves (Data subjects) or groups/organisations requesting inclusion on the surveys.

Data processor(s)

We may use data processors eg: specialist companies to help facilitate surveys. Data processors process information in line with our requirements.

If automated decision making applies to this processing

No automated decision making applies to this process.