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Council Tax customers Privacy Notice

The purpose of processing

The collection of Council Tax.

Data Subjects

This notice concerns the personal data of Bath and North East Somerset Council Tax customers.

Personal Data

Information we use about Council Tax customers includes their: name, contact details, personal financial information, National Insurance number, Date of Birth, address history, health information, employment details, car registration.

In addition to this, we also use information defined as “special categories” personal data. This includes information about: disability, chronic health conditions, mental health, sexual preference (where necessary to determine civil partnership), immigration status, prison sentences

How is it used?

We use this information to assess the amount of Council Tax people are obliged to pay, and for billing and collection of Council Tax payments.
For law enforcement
Criminal prosecutions and Court proceedings
If we need to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights, including the prevention and detection of fraud or protecting public interests
For any other statutory purposes or tasks in the public interest that the Council is required to fulfil

Profiling and Automated Decision Making

We use an automated process to send out notices and summons to people who are behind in their payments to us. If recipients do not respond appropriately this may have outcomes which negatively impact them.
You have the right to request that automated decision making be reviewed and replaced by non-automated means (i.e. decisions taken by one of our expert Council officers). To exercise this right please email data_protection@bathnes.gov.uk

GDPR condition relied upon for processing personal data:

Article 6.1 e - Exercise of official authority
Our responsibility for the purpose specified above, and our official authority for tasks related to this, is established by statute in the Local Government Finance Act 1992

GDPR condition relied upon for processing special category data

Article 9.2 g - Substantial public interest

Sharing of personal data with External Recipients

We may share personal data with companies contracted to deliver services related to the collection of Council Tax. These are data processors because they use the personal data on our behalf and only under our instruction. Examples are enforcement agents and printers.

We may also share personal data with Government and Public Sector partners for statutory purposes which are compatible with our own. In particular this includes: HMCTS (The Courts and Tribunals Service), DWP (the Department for Work and Pensions), the DVLA, the passport office, HMRC (Revenue and Customs), and the Valuation Office Agency.

The personal data described in this notice may also be shared internally with our “Empty Properties Officer” to be used for prevention or enforcement actions related to empty properties, prevention of Council Tax fraud, and for the purposes of meeting the Councils housing delivery responsibilities. This includes use of information about “Class E” individuals who have vacated their property to go into residential care.

The personal data described in this notice may also be shared internally for the purposes of the delivery of the Council’s statutory services where legally permissible.

How long is the personal data retained by the Council?

Personal data will only be retained for as long as it is needed for the purpose specified above, or as required by applicable law or regulatory requirements.

Questions or concerns?

Please email data_protection@bathnes.gov.uk 

Appeals to the Information Commissioner’s Office

If you are unhappy about the way we have treated your personal data, or feel we have not properly respected your data subject rights, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and tell them about this.

You can also contact the ICO by phone on 0303 1231113.