How we use your information

The categories of information that we collect, process, hold and share include:

  • personal information (such as name, address, contact information and bank account details)

Why we collect and use this information

Creditors

It is used to enable the performance of a contract whereby we have agreed to pay for goods or services. The payment may be made by Bacs transfer or by cheque.

If we are not supplied with the information set out above, we may not be able to make payments to you.

Debtors

Debtors are people who owe Tonbridge and Malling Council money. This could be an organisation or individual to who we have provided a service which we are obliged to render a charge for.

The lawful basis on which we use this information

Your information is processed to meet the legal requirements of Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

Collecting this information

In order to comply with the data protection legislation, we will inform you in future if we request additional personal information whether you are required to provide this additional information to us or if you have a choice in this.

Storing this information

Copies of invoices and related creditor or debtor information is kept for the current year plus six years, in line with our retention schedule. However, if required we will hold your data for longer in order to support any debt recovery action.

Who we share this information with

Some information may be published as required by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Local Government (Transparency Requirements) (England) Regulations 2015 legislation, and the recommended requirements for greater disclosure in the Local Government Transparency Code.

We may share this information with partner organisations for business processing, analysis and the prevention and detection of fraud.

We may also share certain data with other public bodies, such as DWP, HMRC and the police and will do so where required.

We will also generally comply with requests for specific information from regulatory and law enforcement bodies.

Information is also analysed internally to help us improve our service.

Why we share this information

We share data with the Cabinet Office as we are required to by law for the purpose of assisting the prevention and detection of fraud.

Data collection requirements

To find out more about the data collection requirements placed on us by the DLUHC see Single data list (GOV.UK).

Requesting access to your personal data

Under data protection legislation, you have the right to request access to information about them that we hold. To make a request for your personal information please contact Adrian Stanfield, the council’s Data Protection Officer at foi@tmbc.gov.uk.

You also have the right to:

  • object to processing of personal data that is likely to cause, or is causing, damage or distress
  • prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing
  • object to decisions being taken by automated means
  • in certain circumstances, have personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed
  • claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the data protection regulations

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, we request that you raise your concern with us in the first instance. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at How to make a data protection complaint to an organisation.

Further information

If you would like further information about this privacy notice, please contact Adrian Stanfield, the council’s Data Protection Officer at foi@tmbc.gov.uk.

The council collects and uses personal information for a number of purposes across all of its departments and functions. To find out more about how the Council uses the personal information it collects, please refer to the Corporate privacy notice.