Your information rights
You have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
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You have the right to be informed about the collection and use of your personal data and our legal basis for processing it. We do this using both a corporate level Privacy Notice and more specific service level privacy notices which may also be called ‘Fair Processing Notices’. We will provide this more specific privacy information in a variety of ways either when we obtain the information from you, or as soon as possible if we obtain it from a different source.
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You have the right to make a request for access to personal information we hold about you or confirmation that we are processing information about you. We have to provide a copy of your information to you free of charge, within 1 month. We can extend the deadline if your request is complex. We have to let you know if the deadline is to be extended within 1 month if this is the case.
Information is provided free of charge unless you request further copies of information we have already provided to you. However, we are permitted to charge a reasonable fee or refuse your request if it is manifestly unfounded or excessive. Any fee will be based on the administrative cost of providing the information to you.
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- If you feel that any data that we hold about you is factually inaccurate, you have the right to ask us to correct or rectify it. In order for us to review your request you must provide evidence of the alleged inaccuracy.
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You have a right to ask us to erase information about you. This right will only apply where:
- The personal data is no longer necessary for the purpose which we originally collected it for
- We are relying on consent as the lawful basis for holding the data and you withdraw that consent
- We are processing the data for direct marketing purposes and you object to that processing
Most of the processing carried out by the council is governed by legislation, which usually includes how long we have to keep your information for. The right of erasure won’t apply where we have a lawful reason to process your data and it is kept in accordance with policies in our retention and disposal schedule.
The right to erasure also does not apply to information which is being processed in accordance with a ‘public task’. This means where we are carrying out a specific task in the public interest, which is laid down by law or exercising official authority. This includes, for example, information being processed for Educational, Health and Social Care purposes.
Your right of rectification and erasure extends to anyone we have disclosed your personal information to. We will take reasonable steps, where it is practicable for us to do so, to inform organisations with whom we have shared your information that you have made a request for erasure.
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You have the right to ask us to restrict processing of your personal data in the following circumstances:
If you contest the accuracy of your personal information and we need to verify its accuracy If we have unlawfully processed your information and you do not want us to erase the data If we no longer need your information but you need to keep it in order to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim You have objected to us processing your information and we are considering whether we have legitimate grounds to continue to process it
This right to restrict processing is closely linked but is distinctly different from the right to rectification and the right to object. As a matter of good practice we may automatically restrict processing of your personal information while we consider its accuracy or the legitimacy of processing it.
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You have a right to receive personal data that you have provided to us in order to transfer it onto another data controller. This right only applies where the processing is based on consent and is carried out by automated means. This is called a data portability request.
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You have the right to object to our processing your personal information where our lawful basis for processing is based on the performance of a 'public task' carried out in the public interest or exercise of official authority.
You have the right to withdraw your consent to our processing your personal information if our lawful basis for processing is 'consent'.
You also have the right to object to processing for the purpose of direct marketing. You can opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time. You can do this by clicking on the 'unsubscribe' or 'opt-out' link in marketing emails we send to you. If you wish to opt-out of other forms of marketing such as postal or telephone marketing contact us using the addresses or telephone number below.
If we are processing your personal information for scientific or historical research, or statistical purposes your right to object is more limited.
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- You have the right to raise a concern or make a complaint about how we handle (process) your personal information or if you are not satisfied with how we have dealt with a request.
Contact information
Our Information Governance Unit is responsible for co-ordinating requests made in relation to your rights.
Send your request to:
Email: accessinformation@staffordshire.gov.uk
Postal address:
Access to InformationTeam
Staffordshire County Council
1 Staffordshire Place
Stafford
ST16 2DH
If your request relates to children’s social care information, please contact Families First informationrequests@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Help and advice
Please contact us if you need advice about making your request in relation to your rights or if you need help to put your request in writing.
You can contact us using the above addresses or by phone on 0300 111 8000
Further information about your rights is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office.