The purpose of this Privacy Notice is to explain how and for what purposes we process your personal data. It applies to personal data that is processed electronically and on paper. Please read the following Privacy Notice carefully.
Why we're collecting your data
Brentwood Borough Council provides an e-Services application enabling online billing and access to other services or information with respect to Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefit. This requires an email address to log in. As part of the sign-up process, residents are offered an opportunity to provide their mobile number so that they can get optional SMS text messages or calls in respect of the management of any of these accounts, any collection and enforcement processes, or information we need in order to process any application for discounts, exemptions or benefits.
Information collected
- mobile telephone number
- email address
This information is needed to be able to access e-Services and send SMS text messages for the purpose of providing updates, reminders, notifications or processing any applications a resident makes in respect of their account(s) for discounts, exemptions, financial aid or Housing Benefit in order to provide a more expedient, efficient service.
The data is collected through an online form within the e-Services application.
The basis for the processing
By providing an email address and a mobile number (mobile number optional), you're giving clear consent for the council to use this information to contact you with respect to your Council Tax, Housing Benefit or Business Rates account(s) for the purposes of providing updates, reminders or information about your account(s), processing applications made by you or on your behalf for financial assistance, exemptions, discounts and reductions, and in relation to collection and enforcement processes supported by legislation laid down by the Government.
Who your information will be shared with
Your information will be shared with Basildon Borough Council’s Revenue and Benefits team who administer this service on our behalf. However, we may also pass your name, address and email address to other internal Brentwood council services, for example, to the waste and recycling team, so that you can get information explaining the services that the Council provides to residents.
Basildon Borough Council’s Revenue and Benefits team may need to share your data with the following organisations for the purpose of preventing and detecting fraud and error or recovering unpaid Council Tax:
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service
- Cabinet Office (National Fraud Initiative)
- Her Majesty's Revenues and Customs
- Vigilant Apps Limited
- Mag:Net Solutions Limited
- Equifax Ltd
- Rossendales Ltd
- Newlyn PLC
- CDER Group
- oneSource or The Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Brentwood Borough Council will never sell your data. However, we may share some of your personal information with third parties to:
- comply with legal obligations and legislative requirements
- help business partners, suppliers and sub-contractors deliver any contract we enter with them or you
- help if there is need of any professional or legal advice on a matter relating to you
- help prevent fraud or tackle crime
- improve and optimise the performance of our services
Provide accurate information
We need to hold accurate and up to date information about you so that we can deliver appropriate services. If any of your details change, you need to tell us as soon as possible so that we can update your records.
We won't:
- use your information for marketing or sales purposes without your prior explicit consent.
- send or store your data abroad unless it meets the requirements of the Data Protection regulations
- make decisions about you based on automated processing
How long we will hold your data for
We will keep your mobile number for as long as you have an ongoing liability with us, up to a maximum of six years plus current year, or until you remove or amend your number, or request for your number to be removed or amended by us.
Your rights
You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you. Any access requests are free of charge.
If the information we hold about you is inaccurate, you have a right to have this corrected and you have the right to request completion of incomplete data.
You have the right to ask us to erase your personal data in certain circumstances (right to be forgotten).
You have the right to ask us to stop or restrict the processing of your personal data, in certain circumstances. Where possible, we will seek to comply with your request, but we may need to hold or process information to comply with a legal requirement.
You can make any of these requests by:
- Emailing dpa@Brentwood.gov.uk
- calling 01277 312500
- writing to:
The Data Protection Officer
Brentwood Borough Council
Town Hall,
Ingrave Road,
Brentwood
CM15 8AY.
If you're dissatisfied with how we have used your personal information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, by:
- Emailing casework@ico.org.uk
- calling 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745
- writing to:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
For more independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing issues is available from the Information Commissioner's Office, visit Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).