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Complaints and Freedom of Information Privacy Notice

The purposes for which we use your personal data

The information we collect about you will be used for the purpose(s) of:

  • Administration and Investigation of complaints made against the Council
  • Administration of requests made under the Freedom of Information Act

The processing of personal data is necessary to enable the Council to carry out its public task, and to ensure that the Council is compliant with its statutory and policy obligations. The specific policies and legislation that the Complaints and Freedom of Information Service routinely deals with are as follows:

  • Freedom of Information Act, 2000
  • Environmental Information Regulations, 2004
  • Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act, 2019
  • Data Protection Act, 2018
  • Human Rights Act, 1998
  • General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
  • Social Services Complaints Procedure (Wales) Regulations, 2014
  • Ceredigion County Council’s Concerns and Complaints Policy
  • Ceredigion County Council Customer Charter
  • Policy on Unacceptable Actions by Service Users

Special category data, where processed, is processed on the basis of substantial public interest.

What if you do not provide personal data?

If you do not give us the information we need when we ask for it, this may result in:

Freedom of Information Request

  • Section 8(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2000 requires that a name of the applicant and an address for correspondence is given in order for the request to be valid. If this information is not provided, the request cannot be processed
  • If a false name is given, the authority may not have cause to challenge this and may process the request. However, any appeal to the ICO will be prevented as only valid FOI requests may be considered. An invalid name would constitute a breach of s8(1)(b)
  • If an address for correspondence is not given, the FOI request may not be replied to and will be considered invalid

Complaint

  • Personal details will only be requested where necessary to the complaint investigation. If these are not provided the complaint may not be investigated; any active investigation may be stopped; the scope of the investigation may be restricted or the investigation may be suspended until such time requested details are provided

Special category data

  • Under the GDPR, special category data includes data relating to:
    • Race and ethnic origin
    • Religious and philosophical beliefs
    • Trade union membership
    • Biometric data used to identify an individual
    • Genetic data
    • Health data
    • Data related to sexual preferences, sex life, and/or sexual orientation
  • To make a Freedom of Information Request, you will not need to provide any of this data
  • Unless a complaint specifically concerns a category of this data, you will not need to provide this data
  • If a complaint specifically concerns this data and it is not provided, the complaint will not be able to be considered

What type of information do we use?

We may collect the following types of personal data about you to deliver this service, depending on your circumstances:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Unique reference number
  • Telephone number
  • Email address
  • Bank/payment details
  • Your family composition
  • Your social circumstances
  • Your financial circumstances
  • Employment and education details
  • Your housing needs
  • Images/photographs
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Information about your health
  • Your racial or ethnic origin
  • Political opinions
  • Religious or philosophical beliefs
  • Trade union membership
  • Information about your sex life or sexual orientation
  • Genetic data
  • Biometric data
  • Criminal convictions and offences etc.

Do we use information received from other sources?

To provide this service, we collect information directly from you but also receive information from the following sources:

  • Any relevant department of Ceredigion County Council
  • Age Cymru
  • Hywel Dda University Health Board
  • Dyfed-Powys Police
  • Welsh Government
  • Public Service Ombudsman for Wales

Transferring your information abroad

Your information will not be transferred outside the United Kingdom.

Who your information may be shared with (internally and externally)

We may share your information with the following recipients depending on your circumstances:

Internally

Information may be shared within any department of Ceredigion County Council.

Externally

  • Public Service Ombudsman for Wales
  • Information Commissioner’s Office
  • Comisiynydd y Gymraeg – Welsh Language Commissioner

There are also other specific situations where we may be required to disclose information about you, such as:

  • Where the Council is required to provide the information by law
  • Where disclosing the information is required to prevent or detect a crime
  • Where disclosure is in the vital interests of the person concerned

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