Legal Services privacy notice

How Legal Services use and share your data.

This departmental privacy notice should be read in conjunction with the Council's corporate privacy notice.

Using your data

Reasons for using your data:

• To answer Freedom of Information & Data Protection requests and complaints
• To monitor Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIPA) authorisations.
• To manage legal cases
• Equality monitoring                                                                                                           

Why we are allowed to use your data

Legal obligation or public task under various UK laws including but not limited to:

• Freedom of information Act 2000
• Environmental Regulation 2004
• Data Protection Act 2018
• General Data Protection Regulation 2018
• The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
• The Local Land Charges Act of 1975 and Rules of 1977
• The Equality Act 2010

The following areas of law/common law:

• Adult Social Care
• Childcare
• Employment
• Education
• Litigation
• Commercial
• Property
• Planning
• Highways
• Environmental
• Local Government
• Coronial
• Judicial Review

Obtaining and sharing your data with others

We collect your personal data from you, or from others (e.g. council staff in other departments or external organisations or individuals) who inform us of matters relevant to this service area.

We can share your data with:

• National Regulators e.g. Information Commissioner’s Office, Ombudsman, Investigatory Powers Commissioner
• Housing Ombudsman
• The Courts, judges, Crown Prosecution Service, Employment Tribunals
• Legal representatives of other parties
• Expert witnesses
• The police and other crime enforcement agencies
• Other public authorities e.g. schools, NHS, councils, government
• departments (HMRC, DWP, Immigration etc.)
• Debt collectors
• Union representatives (with consent)
• Local archives office
• Elected Members & MPs (as your representative)
• Contractors providing IT services
• Other Council departments including shared services

Using your data to make automated decisions

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the delivery of our services, for example to assist with analysing information, improving customer experience and enhancing operational efficiency.

Any use of AI is carefully assessed to ensure it is lawful, fair and transparent, and your personal data is only processed where necessary and proportionate.

Decisions about individuals are never made by solely automated means, and all AI-assisted activity is subject to human oversight, data protection controls and ongoing governance.

Data sent to countries outside of the EEA

Generally, the Council will not process your personal data outside of the UK or the EEA. In exceptions where we do, we will ensure equivalent data protection controls are in place.

Further information

To see what data is collected and how to exercise your rights to your data, please read our corporate privacy notice.