Complaints about a councillor privacy notice

Who is the data controller for the information I provide?

Liverpool City Council works under the legal obligations and conditions of both the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

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

Complain about a Councillor is part of Liverpool City Council’s scheme for dealing with complaints relating to the behaviour and conduct of elected members (Councillors).

The legal basis that allows us to process your information under the scheme is ‘Consent’ as you have given consent for Liverpool City Council to process your personal data for the specific purpose of dealing with feedback you send to us under the through the Complain about a Councillor facility.

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If we need to use your personal information for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

Please note that we may process your personal information without your knowledge or consent, in compliance with the above rules, where this is required or permitted by law.

What information we may collect

In order to consider and respond to your feedback it is necessary for us to collect and hold personal information about you. If you do not provide us with information, we will not be able to deal with your feedback. We will collect, store, and use the following categories of personal information about you:

• Personal contact details such as name, title, addresses, telephone numbers, and personal email addresses.

Why we collect your data

It is very important that elected members uphold the highest standards of conduct and behaviour in their role as representatives of Liverpool City Council and the wider city.

To do this, and as required under the Localism Act 2011, the Council’s Constitution includes a Code of Conduct for Elected Members which sets out the standards of behaviour expected of elected members.

If an elected member, council officer or member of the public has concerns over the behaviour of an elected member or feels behaviour or conduct may fall below the standards required in the Code, then a complaint may be made. Information provided in your complaint will be used to assess its validity and status under the Code.

Who will your information be shared with?

Information provided for you as part of your complaint will be shared with the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Deputy Monitoring Officers and by designated officers within Democratic Services. Unless you have requested confidentiality, the elected member to whom the complaint relates will also be notified and provided with opportunity to respond.

In accordance with the requirements of our complaints procedures, we will also share details of your complaint with the designated Independent Person who, under the Localism Act 2011, we are required to consult prior to reaching a decision.

If your complaint progresses to a formal Hearing, details which you have provided will be shared subject to confidentiality provisions with members of the Council’s Standards & Ethics Committee.

We make every effort to keep all the personal data we hold secure, whether held electronically or as paper copies. We also ensure that only members of staff with a legitimate reason to access your information have permission to do so. Even though we are required to share your information with authorised partner organisations, we will ensure this is done in a secure manner, and the information is proportionate in order for us to deal with your complaint.

How long will you keep this information for?

Your information will only be kept for six years after the date we close your complaint, comment or compliment. After this your information will be deleted from our records.

In some circumstances we may anonymise your personal information so that it can no longer be associated with you, in which case we may use such information without further notice to you.

How will my information be stored?

Secure electronic records retained by the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Deputy Monitoring Officer and Democratic Services. We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal information from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed.

In addition, we limit access to your personal information to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal information on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality. Details of these measures may be obtained from the Information team at DPO@liverpool.gov.uk.

Any transfers of data to third parties will be governed by data sharing and processing agreements which mirror security arrangements in place within the council. Once the processing has been concluded, data held by a third party will be securely and irrevocably destroyed.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected data security breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected breach where we are legally required to do so.

Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me? 

No.

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.