Data protection act

The Data Protection Act 1998 which replaced the 1984 Act received Royal assent on 16 July 1998 and came fully into force in 1999.

As with the 1984 Act, the Data Protection Act 1998 gives legal rights to individuals in respect to personal data held about them. Under UK law the Act gives effect to EC Directive 95/46/EC.

The Data Protection Act 1998 can be read on the Office of Public Sector Information.

Purpose of the act

The Data Protection Act 1998 is designed to cover the collection, storage, processing and distribution of personal data. It gives rights to the individuals about who information is recorded.

This applies to all individuals whether they are an employee, elected member or a member of the public. Each individual has the right to access their personal data, prevent processing likely to cause them damage or distress and prevent processing for the purposes of direct marketing.

Individuals also have rights in relation to automated decision taking as well as the right to:

• Take action for compensation if they suffer damage by any contravention of the Act by the data controller
• Rectify, block, erase or destroy inaccurate data
• Make a request to the Data Protection Commissioner for an assessment to be made of the data controller if they feel that the Act has been contravened.

The Act also places obligations on the data controllers who use and record personal data. The data controllers must be open about the use of personal data through notification to the Information Commissioner and they must follow sound and proper practices by applying the data protection principles.

Requesting information about you

If you would like to find out about information held about you, then please complete the online form.

In order to process your request, we will need to receive COPIES of two official documents that between them clearly authenticate your name, and current address. This is a standard practice in all applications for personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998, in order to prevent fraud.

You will need to provide one document from each list below.

List A

• Driving License
• Medical Card
• Birth/ Adoption Certificate
• Passport

List B

• Bank/Building Society Statement
• Utility bill (gas, water, electric or telephone)
• Council tax bill
• Inland Revenue
• Benefit Agency
• Solicitor
• Mortgage Lender
• Professional Body
• Employer (payslip/letter of appointment)

Note: Please delete any financial information you do not wish us to see. We will only be examining the name and address portion.

Your request will be placed on hold until we have received the proof of identity and address documentation.

How we use your information

The information that you provide will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and relevant legislation.

This authority has a duty to protect public funds it administers, and may use information held about you for the prevention and detection of fraud and other lawful purposes. 

The council will also use the information for the purpose of performing any of its statutory enforcement duties. It will make any disclosures required by law and may also share this information with other bodies responsible for detecting/preventing fraud or auditing/administering public funds. This may include, but not be limited to, matching council tax data with electoral registration records and the passing of the full version of the electoral register to the Audit Commission for the National Fraud Initiative.

We will not disclose your information to third parties for marketing purposes and your data will be secure and confidential at all times.

Further information

Tower Hamlets Council Data Protection
Town Hall
6th Floor
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
East India Dock
London
E14 2BG

tel: 020 7364 4354
fax: 0207 364 4808
email: dataprotection@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Complaints

If you wish to complain about any aspect of the operation of the Data Protection Act you should also contact the Information Governance Manager in the first instance.

In the event that they are unable to resolve any complaint you may have, you should contact Ruth Dowden, the Council’s Corporate Complaints Manager at the following address:

Chief Executive’s Directorate
Town Hall
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG

If you are subsequently not satisfied with the Council’s response to your complaint you have a right of appeal to the independent Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
tel: 01625 545 700
web: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Pid No: 826