How we use your personal information for processing Petitions
The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them. Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with.
We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for processing petitions. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice.
1. Who we are, what we do.
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council processes petitions completed and provided to the Council by members of the public, elected members on behalf of constituents.
2. What and whose personal information we hold?
In order to process the petition, the Council needs to obtain the signatures that support the petition, as well as the names and addresses of the signatories to validate the petition and maintain the integrity and quality of the ‘signature list’.
Where a member of the public is leading the petition, the petition will also include their name and address as a point of contact.
Where an elected member is leading the petition on behalf of their constituents, the petition will also detail the name of the elected member and their ward.
3. Where does the service get my information from?
The information is obtained directly from you when providing your details on the petition.
4. Who will you share my personal information with?
Once the Council receives the petition, it will be passed onto the relevant service area to which it relates to for review and consideration, with the relevant Cabinet Member also being advised of its content. The relevant Council Officer responsible for dealing with the petition will hold the contact details of the lead petitioner to keep them up to date with progress and outcomes.
Petitions are often presented by an Elected Member on behalf of their Constituents at a meeting of the Council. Such presentation will be reported in the Council minutes, advising of the Elected Member presenting the petition and a summary of the nature of the petition. No personal data will be disclosed within the Minutes.
If a petition satisfies the Council’s agreed ‘petitions publication criteria’ then details of the petition i.e. Number of signatories and the nature of the petition will be published on the Council website on its dedicated petition page. Adjacent to this will be the Cabinet Member response to the petition. Again, no personal data will be disclosed on this web page.
5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?
We collect and use your personal information only where it is necessary to do so in order to perform our public tasks or duties as a Local Authority in line with Article 6.(1)(e) of the GDPR.
6. How long will my information be kept?
Petition records are to be retained for 6 years after date of petition.
7. Your information, your rights
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.
Click here for further information on your information rights and how to exercise them.
8. Contact us
If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service uses your personal information please contact us in one of the following ways:
By email : CouncilBusiness@rctcbc.gov.uk
By telephone : 01442 424110
In writing : Council Business Unit, The Pavilions, Cambrian Park, Clydach Vale, CF40 2XX