FOI and Data Protection

Request deadlines

Due to the demand currently placed on services in dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic, statutory deadlines for the following requests may not be adhered to:

• Freedom of Information (FOI)
• Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)
• Data Subject Rights

Further guidance can be found on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Privacy information - COVID-19/Coronavirus

Coronavirus has been added as a notifiable disease under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010. The Council have a legal duty to process and share personal information in accordance with the Coronavirus Act 2020. Any such processing will be done in the public interest to promote health and wellbeing.

The Council have a duty to notify Public Health England and the local authority where the individual resides (if different), where there are suspected Coronavirus cases. In this instance, the Council will disclose the information under Article 9(2)(j) of the UK GDPR (processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health), and confidential information can be lawfully disclosed in the public interest, without consent, where the benefits to an individual or to society outweigh both the individuals and the public interest in keeping the information confidential.

The Council may contact staff, service users, residents and patients with messages relating to Coronavirus by text, phone, letter or e-mail. This contact is not direct marketing; therefore we do not need your Consent before contacting you. There is more information available on the national Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) approach to the current epidemic on the ICO's website.

More information can be found in our privacy notices.

Last updated: Wednesday 4 November