Devon County Council is registered as a ‘data controller’ under the Data Protection legislation as we may collect and use information about you as the service user. We hold your information so that we can provide public services to you. This notice explains how we collect, use, and share your information.

If you want to find out more about how we will keep your personal data safe, please contact our Data Protection Officer.

We will notify you of any changes to this privacy notice

This privacy notice was last updated 18/12/2023. If we use your personal data for any new purposes, updates will be made to the policy information and changes communicated, where necessary in accordance with current data protection legislation. Any queries relating to this privacy notice please contact the Data Protection Officer.

What information are we collecting or using?

We will need to collect some (if not all) of the following information:

Your name
Your age
Your sex
Passport number
Details of where you are staying/your address
Information about your visa, immigration status or resettlement scheme
The same information about your family members in Devon
Your contact information (phone number and email address)
Your child(ren)’s school and UPN (Unique pupil number)
Information about requests for early help or safeguarding concerns and risk

Purpose of collecting or processing your personal data

To make sure we can help you and your family settle in the area we must hold information about you. This will help us provide you with the services you need. Will we share this information where necessary with trusted partners to allow them to provide you with services that will benefit you.

We need to collect and hold information about you, for a variety of reasons including:

the delivery of public services
confirming your identity to provide some services
contacting you by post, email, or telephone
understanding your needs to provide the services that you request
understanding what we can do for you and inform you of other relevant services and benefits
obtaining your opinion about our services
updating your customer record
helping us to build up a picture of how we are performing at delivering services to you and what services the people of Devon need
processing financial transactions
preventing and detecting fraud and corruption in the use of public funds
allowing us to undertake statutory functions efficiently and effectively
to make sure we meet our statutory obligations including those related to diversity and equalities
if we don’t have enough information about you, we may not be able to provide our services to you effectively

How we protect your information

We are committed to ensuring that any personal data we hold about you is kept safe and secure.

Paper records are kept in secure buildings and offices.
Electronic records are kept on secure IT systems.
Staff receive regular data protection training.
We will not keep your information longer than it is needed.
We have policies and procedures in place to help keep your information safe.

The legal basis for us collecting your personal data

Where we are collecting personal data about you for the provision of one of the purposes outlined in this privacy notice, we rely upon the following lawful conditions listed in the UK General Data Protection Regulation:

Article 6(1)(e) – processing for the purposes of delivering a public task carried out in the public interest
Article 9(2)(g) – processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest

Personal data that is collected for any of the purposes outlined in this notice is never used for direct marketing purposes and is not sold on to any other third parties.

Recipients or categories of recipients that we may share your personal data with

We will only share your information where it is necessary to provide you with the support and services you may need. Organisations we may share your information with include:

Adult and children’s social care.
Other councils.
Housing services.
Central government such as Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities and the Homes Office.
Doctors and health professionals.
Police.
Voluntary organisations and charities who will be providing support to guests.

We may also need to share personal data about you and your family with those who we work with to deliver services to you.

International transfers

Devon County Council does not intend to transfer your information to countries where UK data protection laws do not apply.

How long will we hold your personal data?

We will keep information about you for the duration of your stay in the area and 2 years after your stay. After this time information about you will be securely destroyed.

Your data protection rights

Under Data Protection Legislation, you have the right to obtain a copy of their personal records held by us, this is called a Subject Access Request (SAR).

Further details on your rights under data protection legislation .

Complaints

If you have any comments, queries or complaints about this privacy notice or the processing of your personal data please contact our Data Protection Officer.

Alternatively, if you are not happy with the way that DCC is handling your personal data, you are entitled to appeal to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). The Information Commissioners Office enforces and oversees the Data Protection Regulations.

Contact details are below:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Automated decisions

Devon County Council does not intend to use computer systems to make automated decisions about you and your family.