The Data Protection Act 1998

What the Data Protection Act does

The Data Protection Act is designed to safeguard and protect the information or data that the Council processes and holds about people.

The Council is required by law to processes information in accordance with the eight principles of ‘ good information handling’, which say that data must be: -

1. Fairly and lawfully processed;
2. Processed for specific purposes;
3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive;
4. Accurate;
5. Not kept for longer than necessary;
6. Processed in line with peoples’ rights;
7. Processed and stored securely;
8. Not transferred to other counties without adequate protection.

People have the right to request any personal information held about them by the Council, subject to certain exceptions.

Access Rights to Personal Information

A request to see any personal information held on computer or paper records may be made to the Council at any time. This is called a Data Subject Access Request. As a general rule, the law allows people only to see their own personal information.

How Are Requests for Information Made

Requests must be made in writing to the Council on the Data Subject Access Request Form. A request can only be accepted on these forms. The forms are available from the Council and may be obtained as follows: -

1. By writing to the Council’s Data Protection Officer at Council Offices, Green Lane, Spennymoor. Co.Durham, DL16 6JQ;
2. By telephone to the Council’s Data Protection Officer on 01388 824309;
3. By e-mail to data-protection@sedgefield.gov.Uk
4. By down-loading from the Council’s Web Site.

Charging for the Information.

The Council will charge an Access Fee of £10 in advance, for each Data Subject Access Request received.

An additional administrative fee may apply if the request is repeated frequently or requires a disproportionate effort to provide the information.

Access fees for pensioners, those on benefits or low incomes will be waived at the Councils’ discretion.

Time taken to Process the Request for Information

The Council will provide the information within the 40-day time period laid down by the law.

Completing the Data Subject Access Request

All sections of the form should be completed as accurately as possible, where appropriate.

To help the Council to identify the type of information requested, the category of information should be specified as far as possible. This will avoid delays in providing the information.

Proof of Identity

Two forms of Proof of Identity should accompany the Data Subject Access Request. For example: -

• Utility Bills
• Current Council Tax Bill
• Birth Certificate
• Passport
• Driving License
• Any other official documents that can verify your name and address.

The Council reserves the right to refuse certain requests:-

• Where the information is not in a permanent form,
• Where the information could effect the way that crime is detected or prevented,
• Where the information could compromise the catching or prosecuting of offenders;
• Where the information could effect the assessment or collection of taxes or duty;
• Where providing the information would involve disproportionate effort.

Complaints to Sedgefield Borough Council

Any complaints about the way in which the Council manages Data Protection, can be made to the Council’s Customer Services section. They may be contacted as follows: -

1. By telephone; 01388 816166
2. By fax: 01388 824105
3. By e-mail customerservices@sedgefield.gov.uk

Complaints to the Information Commissioner

Complaints may be made at any time to the Information Commissioner about the way in which Sedgefield Borough Council or any other Organisation is processing information about people. Any complaints about the Council made directly to the Information Commissioner, without first contacting the Council will be passed back to the Council to be investigated.

Contact details for the Information Commissioner: -

Postal Address
Information Commissioners Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone
Data Protection Help-Line: 01625 545 745
Switchboard 01625 545 700

Fax
Fax line Number: 01625 524 510

E-mail
mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk

Internet
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Sedgefield Borough Council’s Data Protection Registration

Sedgefield Borough Council’s Data Protection Registration entry Number Z5254075, may be viewed at the Council Offices, Green Lane, Spennymoor, DL16 6JQ or on the Information Commissioners web site under the Public Register of Data Controllers .

• Data protection access form.
  Data-Protection-Access-Request-Form.pdf