PN013 - Communications Privacy Notice

Torfaen County Borough Council is committed to protecting your privacy when you use our services. This Privacy Notice is designed to give you information about the data we hold about you, how we use it, your rights in relation to it and the safeguards in place to protect it.

TCBC Service Area: PSSU
Work area: Communications
Contact Details: pressoffice@torfaen.gov.uk
Privacy Notice Name: Communications

Data Controller: Torfaen County Borough Council, c/o Civic Centre, Pontypool, NP4 6YB

If you wish to raise a concern about the handling of your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer on 01495 762200 or email dpa@torfaen.gov.uk

This privacy notice outlines the ways in which the Communications Team collects and processes your data.

Who provides your data to the Council?

The personal information we process is provided to us directly by you in person, via telephone, email, E-form or social media contact.

We may also receive your personal information indirectly for PR or marketing purposes from:

  • Another Council department
  • A member of the Council
  • Other organisations (e.g. Emergency Services, Landlord, Housing Associations, third sector partners) regarding an individual

How does the Council collect this information?

  • By telephone, email, social media, writing or in person
  • Electronic sign up forms such as e-bulletin subscriptions

What information does the Council collect about you?

  • Contact details such as name, address, telephone number and email addresses
  • Video footage
  • Photographs

Why does the Council process your personal data?

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are;

(a) Your consent. This is required if you appear in photographs or videos used for promotional or media coverage or if you subscribe to receive direct marketing from us e.g. newsletters. Consent only relates to the specific purpose for which it has been given and you can withdraw your consent at any time. We do not rely on consent as a legal basis for any other processing.

(e) We need it to perform a public task. To fulfil the Council’s duties to inform and engage with Torfaen residents and other partners.

Special categories of personal data

We will not purposely collect any special category or criminal data.

Photographs or videos may collect special category data including:

  • personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin
  • personal data revealing political opinions
  • personal data revealing religious or philosophical beliefs
  • data concerning health

Who has access to your data?

Your data is shared internally only with the appropriate staff where it is necessary for the performance of their roles.

Your data may be shared externally with organisations for media publicity and via emailed press releases to organisations, which include but might not be limited to, BBC Wales, ITV Cymru Wales and South Wales Argus. Individuals can also sign up to receive these emails. You will also be asked if you consent to this beforehand.

Apart from where previously stated, we do not pass your details to third parties without your consent or unless we are lawfully required do so.

Is the Data transferred out of the UK?

No

How does the Council keep your data secure?

The Council has internal policies in place to ensure the data it processes is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed. Access to this data is restricted in accordance with the Council’s internal policies and in compliance with the UK GDPR.

Data will be stored securely in:

  • Secure Network
  • Secure Cloud

Where the Council engages third parties to process personal data on its behalf, they do so on the basis of written instructions. These third parties are also under a duty of confidentiality and are obliged to implement appropriate measures to ensure the security of data.

How long does the Council keep your data?

The Council will hold your personal data only for the period that is necessary and will follow organisational and Local Authority standards in this area. At the end of the retention period the Council will securely destroy or dispose of the data in line with retention schedules.

  • Photos/Video footage – three years
  • E-forms – one year

Are we making automated decisions/profiling with your data?

No

Your rights

You have a number of rights you can exercise:

  • Access - to obtain a copy of your data on request
  • Rectification – to require the Council to change incorrect or incomplete data
  • Object, Restrict or Delete - under certain circumstances you can require the Council to delete or stop processing your data, for example where the data is no longer necessary for the purposes of processing
  • Data portability – to receive and/or transmit data provided to the Council to other organisations (this applies in limited circumstances)
  • Withdraw your consent at any time (where consent has been given)
  • To know the consequences of failing to provide data to the Council
  • To know the existence of any Automated Decision-making, including profiling, and the consequences of this for you.
  • To lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (Information Commissioners Office)

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact Louise Day, Communications Manager, via email: louise.day@torfaen.gov.uk

The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (Wales), 2nd Floor, Churchill House, Churchill Way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH. Telephone 0330 414 6421 or e-mail Wales@ico.org.uk.

Last Modified: 17/07/2023 Back to top