Data protection policy

This is a statement of the Data Protection policy adopted by London Councils to cover its obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 ('the DPA'). If you need to enquire further or make a subject access request, please email FOI-DPAComplaints@londoncouncils.gov.uk.

London Councils needs to collect and use certain types of information about people with whom it deals in order to operate. These include current, past and prospective employees, suppliers, clients, customers and others with whom it communicates. In addition, it may occasionally be required by law to collect and use certain types of information of this kind. This personal information must be dealt with properly however it is collected, recorded and used (whether on paper, in a computer, or recorded on other material) and there are safeguards to ensure this in the DPA.

London Councils regards the lawful and correct treatment of personal information as very important to successful operations, as it maintains confidence between those with whom it deals. London Councils ensures that its organisation treats personal information lawfully and correctly.

To this end, London Councils fully endorses and adheres to the Principles of Data Protection, as enumerated in the DPA.

Specifically, the Principles require that personal information:

(1) Shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless specific conditions are met;
(2) Shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes;
(3) Shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed;
(4) Shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
(5) Shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or purposes;
(6) Shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under the Act;
(7) Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data;
(8) Shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedom of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data.

Therefore, London Councils will, through appropriate management, and strict application of criteria and controls:

• Observe fully conditions regarding the fair collection and use of information;
• Meet its legal obligations to specify the purposes for which information is used;
• Collect and process appropriate information, and only to the extent that it is needed to fulfil operational needs or to comply with any legal requirements;
• Ensure the quality of information used;
• Apply strict checks to determine the length of time information is held;
• Ensure that the rights of people about whom information is held, can be fully exercised under the DPA. (These include the right to be informed that processing is being undertaken, the right of access to one's personal information, the right to prevent processing in certain circumstances and the right to correct, rectify, block or erase information which is regarded as wrong information);
• Take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to safeguard personal information;
• Ensure that personal information is not transferred abroad without suitable safeguards.

In addition, London Councils will endeavour to ensure that:

• There is someone with specific responsibility for Data Protection in the organisation, and this person is the Corporate Information Officer, ('the CIO'). The CIO will be responsible for London Councils compliance with the DPA. All requests for personal data should be directed to the CIO. The CIO will decide on the validity of a request and co-ordinate the dissemination of the personal data if necessary. All queries relating to the DPA or this Policy should also be directed to the CIO;
• Everyone managing and handling personal information understands that they are contractually responsible for following good data protection practice;
• Everyone managing and handling personal information is appropriately trained to do so;
• Everyone managing and handling personal information is appropriately supervised;
• Anybody wanting to make enquires about handling personal information knows what to do;
• Queries about handling personal information are promptly and courteously dealt with;
• Methods of handling personal information are clearly described;
• Methods of handling personal information are regularly assessed and evaluated;
• Performance with handling personal information is regularly assessed and evaluated.