Data protection and privacy

Parks and Green Spaces Friends of Groups privacy notice

Who is the data controller for the information I provide?

Liverpool City Council is the Data Controller for the personal information you provide.  Our data protection notification is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) – Reference Z7624756. 

What is the legal basis for collecting and processing this data?

The Street Scene Parks and Green Spaces (Parks) team’s role is to advise and guide volunteers through the numerous statutory requirements and legal considerations, which is for the benefit of group members as much as for the Parks we manage.

Parks has a duty to ensure that valid Public Liability Insurance is in effect for all groups volunteering in Liverpool Parks in the event of claims. Without valid Public Liability Insurance, the event or activity organiser is personally liable for a claim against a group activity.

We are also obliged to ensure that Constituted Groups are undertaking the responsibilities this entails. These include hosting an Annual General meeting to which all group members are invited; the election of the groups’ committee by the membership and transparent accounting of the Group finances to the membership.

The annual Health Check for Parks Friends groups allows Parks to ensure these conditions are met, that the group representation is correct and that we have the most up-to-date details to keep in touch with groups.

Information we may collect

The annual health check form requires the following information:

  • Group name
  • If the group is Constituted
  • Names of the key Committee post holders – Chair, Treasurer, Secretary
  • If the group hosts an Annual General Meeting (AGM)
  • If the committee is elected or reaffirmed at each AGM
  • If accounts are presented at the AGM
  • Public contact details e.g. email address, social media links
  • If the Committee has valid public liability insurance
  • If members personal information is securely stored in line with GDPR
  • How members personal data is kept secure
  • How the Group's membership is determined
  • How the Committee communicates with group members
  • The Groups public contact details

Do I have to provide this information, and what will happen if I don’t?

This is an opt-in arrangement. Groups who opt of out of completing the Park Friends annual health check by not returning a form cannot be considered as verified groups and are therefore acting without landowner consent. This has the following effects:

  • Invalidation of Public Liability Insurance policies held
  • Personal liability for any claims or damages incurred at Group events or activities
  • Breach of Park byelaws for unauthorised events
  • Ineligibility for external funding for projects LCC Parks and Green Spaces sites
  • Ineligibility for LCC resource such as Local Neighbourhood Funding
  • Unverified groups will not be advertised by Liverpool City Council
  • The group will not be considered Parks stakeholders and Parks colleagues are not obliged to attend unverified Group’s meetings

Who will your information be shared with?

Liverpool City Council will include the public domain email address and social media links for verified groups on our Parks Friends Groups page and our Parks Google Map.

Annual General Meeting documentation is reviewed by Parks officers to verify elections of committee members and presentation of accounts. These are then deleted as Liverpool City Council is not required to store them and they are not public documents. These documents are exempt from Freedom of Information requests as they pertain to private organisations, not a local authority. A group is not obliged but may at their discretion provide these on request in the event of external enquiries.

Where groups do not have a public domain email address (e.g. enquiries are addressed to a personal account of an individual) Parks will direct enquiries to Parks@liverpool.gov.uk  and will forward enquiries to the Group. This is most often the case in newly establishing groups. 

How long will you keep this information for?

Health check forms and Public Liability Insurance Policy certificates will be updated annually with the new health check form. AGM documents are not stored. 

Please see what we do with your data for the council's full retention schedule.

How will my information be stored?

Health Check form returns and Public Liability Insurance Policy certificates are stored in a secure database with access restricted to key professionals who are required to sign appropriate data-sharing agreements and to undergo relevant training around the management of personal information and the requirements of data protection regulations.    

Will my data be transferred abroad?

No.

What rights do I have when it comes to my data?

You have a number of rights that are set out on the How to access your data page of this section.

Where can I get advice?

View our Help and advice page for more information.