How Ashford Borough Council Uses Your Personal Data

We are Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and are a local authority which provides services to residents and businesses in Ashford, Tenterden and a large network of surrounding villages.

ABC is the Data Controller for the personal data it holds as set out in this policy. ABC’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at: The Data Protection Officer, Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford TN23 1PL or via FOI@ashford.gov.uk

We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) with registration number Z8344724.

Why We Collect and Use Your Personal Data

We process personal data to enable us to provide a range of services to local people and businesses; as such we may require your personal data to:

• deliver public services
• contact you by post, email or telephone
• understand your needs to provide the services that you request
• understand what we can do for you and inform you of other relevant services and benefits
• obtain your opinion about our services
• update your customer record
• process financial transactions
• prevent and detect fraud and corruption in the use of public funds
• allow us to undertake statutory functions efficiently and effectively
• make sure we meet our statutory obligations including those related to diversity and equalities

Our lawful basis for using your data

The law on data protection sets out a number of different reasons for which personal data may be collected and processed. Generally, the legal basis for processing by us as a public authority will be one of the following:

• Public task: processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the council.

• Legal obligation: processing is necessary for compliance with the council’s legal obligation.

• < > processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract.

  Consent: where you have given consent to the processing of your personal data for one or more specific purposes. For example, this is the basis likely to be used if you have signed up to receive any newsletters.

• Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us or by a third party. This legal basis is not open to us when performing our statutory tasks, however where we are operating on a commercial basis then this legal basis may be utilised.

• Vita l Interests: where processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of you or of another individual. For example, protecting someone or their property from imminent harm or damage.

  Sharing your personal data

  Depending on the purpose for which we process your personal data, we may share it with other organisations. For example, your personal data may be shared, where necessary, with other organisations that provide services on our behalf such as contractors carrying out repairs to council houses. In such cases, the personal data provided is only the minimum necessary to enable them to provide services to you.

  How long we keep your personal data for

  We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which we have collected it, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

  More information

  For more information about your data protection rights please see the Council’s data protection pages which can be found at www.ashford.gov.uk or contact the Data Protection Officer at, The Data Protection Officer, Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford TN23 1PL.