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The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you (the Data Subject) the right to apply for a copy of information about yourself. You may, if you so wish, appoint someone (an agent) to apply on your behalf e.g., your parent or a solicitor.
Your request is called a "Subject Access" request and must be made in writing. You can submit your request via email, fax or by mail.
Your request must include:
To ensure confidentiality, we will need evidence to confirm your identity, for example, bank card, driving licence or birth certificate.
We have created a Subject Access Request Form called "Your right to information" to aid enquiries. If you want to request information under Subject Access download and print the form Your right to information (file size 96.5 Kb).
The Council cannot and is not, by law, obliged to comply with a Subject Access request on the basis of "What does the Council hold about me?" The Council does not have to respond to broad requests for information.
Please be as specific as possible and ensure that the description of the information you require is clear and detailed to enable us to find the personal information you are seeking.
If we do not have enough information in order to locate what you are seeking, we may come back to you with more questions. Please help us to help you.
When the Council receives a request for information, we must respond as soon as possible, and not later than 40 calendar days after receiving your request.
Once your request has been received, the Data Protection Team will liase with the appropriate area of the Council that holds the information you have requested. The information will be reviewed to establish what information you are entitled to under the Data Protection Act.
Information which identifies other people will not be released, unless they have given their permission.
Although entitled by the Data Protection Act to charge a £10 fee, Council policy is to provide access to personal information free of charge.
The Council is permitted to withhold information if it falls under one of the exemptions in the Act. If you are unhappy with the decision, you can write to the Information Commissioner to request a review of that decision.
The Council is not obliged to respond to vexatious or repeated requests. This may include repeated requests from the same person for the same information, or requests which are intended to disrupt the Council's work.
You can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The Commissioner's staff will look into the matter on your behalf.
You must write to the Council telling us what information is incorrect and asking for it to be corrected. We must tell you what we have done within 21 days of receiving your request. If the Council does not agree that the information is incorrect, you can ask us to record your disagreement on your records. You can also appeal to the Information Commissioner or to the courts if the Council does not correct the information.
If you are unhappy with the way your subject access request has been handled you may use the Council's internal complaints process. Information about the internal complaint process is on the page Comments and Complaints.
Following this review, should you still be unhappy with how your information request has been handed, you have a further right to appeal to the Information Commissioner who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act.
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