Your privacy matters
This privacy notice explains what information we collect about you, how we store this information, who we share this information with and how we keep it safe and confidential. We want you to be confident that your information is kept safe, secure and for you to understand how and why we use it. It sets out how Knowsley Council will use data collected from respondents completing surveys regarding Council Tax.
You can decide whether to complete the survey and you can decide how much or how little you wish to complete. Please be aware that, because we do not ask for names, it is unlikely you would be able to withdraw your answers from the study after you have returned the survey.
Who is this consultation for?
This survey is open to everyone living, studying, or working in Knowsley, aged 16 or above. Participation is voluntary.
Who will own my data once I submit it?
Knowsley Council
What will happen to my views?
Your views will be used internally by Knowsley Council to inform decision-making about Council Tax.
How will my data be used?
No personal data is being collected, and the information shared will be used to inform decision-making.
Who will see my data?
A small number of Knowsley Council officers will see the “raw” data, and aggregated results will be shared with senior officers and elected Members.
Are there any risks to taking part?
No, taking part in the consultation is voluntary.
What will happen if I change my mind about taking part?
Taking part in this consultation survey is voluntary. If you start the survey and change your mind, you can choose to stop at any point by closing the survey page. We will not be able to see your answers until you click ‘submit’. We do not collect names in this survey. So once you have submitted your survey response, we will not be able to delete it because we will not be able to identify which response is yours.
What type of information will you be processing?
When completing the survey, we may process parts of your personal data. The survey may appear to be anonymous as we will NOT be asking for any personal details, e.g., your name, date of birth, address etc. However, we may be able to identify you through the collective answers you provide on the survey, therefore we are required to make you aware of this.
Your participation in the survey is entirely optional, by participating you are consenting to the information provided being used.
What Personal Information do we collect?
- Age
- Ethnic Origin
Why do you need my information?
We may need to use the information you choose to give to help in design and delivery of delivery plans in Knowsley which helps us to:
- Achieve the Knowsley Council 2030 vision of “effective support to those in need”
- Identify whether services, functions and policies are promoting equality of opportunity and good community relations and eliminating unlawful discrimination in line with the Public Sector Equality Duties under the Equality Act 2010.
- Help us ensure we are designing services around the needs of our communities.
Knowsley Council will collect and analyse the findings from completed surveys to understand the perception of Council Tax on Empty Homes.
What allows you to use my information?
- Completing the survey is a voluntary act on your part.
- By completing the survey, you are giving your consent for the data you give to be used anonymously.
The legal basis which allows the Council to lawfully process your data fall under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Article 6 (1) (a) Consent
The data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes.
By choosing to complete the survey, you give Knowsley Council consent to process the data you provide. As previously mentioned, this data will in the main be anonymous and due to this reason, it is unlikely you would be able to retract your contribution once entered.
Knowsley Council will not be collecting any personal data that is defined by the UK GDPR as special category data (for example, medical information, ethnicity etc) as part of this survey. We ask that you do not submit any personal or special category identifiers in the free text boxes.
Do I have to provide this information and what will happen if I don’t?
No, participation is entirely voluntary and not a legal requirement. You can decide whether to participate or not, and you can decide how much or how little you wish to participate.
Please note than an asterisk (*) indicates that the question must be answered. You will need to complete the required question before you can move to the next page or submit the survey.
Who Will My Information Be Shared With?
Aggregated and anonymous data gathered from this survey will be used by internal services within Knowsley Council and shared with Senior Officers and Elected Members to underpin future decision making.
How long will you keep this data for and why?
The anonymous data will be held by Knowsley Council for a period of up to 5 years following the end of the engagement and consultation period. Your responses will be stored for a period of up to 1 year following the end of the engagement and consultation period. Once retention periods have expired, all information will be permanently deleted from the electronic storage systems noted below. Retention will be in line with the Councils retention policy and will be retained in line with Data Protection legislation, your information will not be kept any longer than is necessary for the purpose of this project.
How will my information be stored?
Anonymised electronic survey data held by Knowsley Council will be stored on a secure electronic system.
Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?
No.
Will My Data Be Transferred Abroad and Why?
No.
What rights do I have when it comes to my data?
Under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 / UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), you have the following rights with regards to your personal data: -
The right to subject access
You have the right to see a copy of the personal data that the council holds about you and find out what it is used for.
The right to rectification
You have the right to ask the council to correct or remove any inaccurate data that we hold about you.
The right to erasure (right to be forgotten)
You have the right to ask the council to remove data that we hold about you.
The right to restriction
You have the right to ask for your information to be restricted (locked down) on council systems.
The right to data portability
You have the right to ask for your data to be transferred back to you or to a new provider at your request.
The right to object
You have the right to ask the council to stop using your personal data or to stop sending you marketing information or complain about how your data is used.
The right to prevent automated decision-making
You have the right to ask the council to stop using your data to make automated decisions about you or to stop profiling your behaviour (where applicable).
To find out more about your rights under the DPA 2018/UK GDPR, please visit the Information Commissioner’s website here.
To request a copy of your data or ask questions about how it is used, please download a copy of our form and send it to: -
Data Protection Officer
Knowsley Council
Westmorland Road
Huyton
L36 9GL
Or email: Inforights@knowsley.gov.uk
Who can I complain to if I am unhappy about how my data is used?
You can complain directly to the Council’s Data Protection Team by writing to: -
Data Protection Officer
Knowsley Council
Westmorland Road
Huyton
L36 9GL
Or email: data.protection.officer@knowsley.gov.uk
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office using the following details:-
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Changes to our privacy notice
We will update this privacy notice from time to time to reflect any changes to our ways of working. Please contact our Data Protection Officer if you would like more information.
Date Privacy notice last updated September 2023.