Privacy Policy

Your privacy is extremely important to Hailsham Town Council. We are committed to handling your personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the principles set out in Assertion 10 regarding the appropriate handling of personal data.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we store it, and your rights regarding your personal data. It applies to all data processed by Hailsham Town Council across all services, offline and online. Links to our specific service-area privacy notices are provided below.

Third‑party websites linked from our domain are not covered by this policy.

INFORMATION WE COLLECT

You can browse our website without telling us who you are or providing personal information. We do not use cookies for general website operation; however, limited cookies may be used on specific interactive pages where required for functionality or to maintain a unique session ID.

We collect personal data only when you voluntarily provide it—such as when completing online forms, contacting the Council, participating in consultations, or accessing Council services.

Depending on the service, personal data collected may include (but is not limited to):

• Name
• Postal address and postcode
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Service‑specific information (e.g., employment data, CCTV images, youth service participation information)

Our web servers also automatically record standard technical information such as browser type and IP address.

HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

When you provide personal data, it will be used exclusively for:

• Delivering the service, information, or response you have requested
• Meeting our legal obligations
• Carrying out tasks in the public interest or in the exercise of our official authority
• Managing our operations and Council responsibilities

We will only process your data where there is a lawful basis for doing so.

Your information will never be used for unrelated purposes without notifying you and, where required, obtaining your consent.

INFORMATION SHARING AND DISCLOSURE

We do not sell or rent your personal data.

We will only share your information with:

• Third-party organisations necessary to deliver the service you have requested
• Organisations with whom we have a legal obligation to share data
• Data processors acting on our behalf under contract

We will only share personal identifiable data when there is a lawful basis to do so and will always ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

DATA RETENTION AND STORAGE

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law and our statutory retention schedules.

All data is stored securely and accessed only by authorised personnel.

YOUR RIGHTS

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data (where applicable)
• Restrict or object to processing
• Request data portability (in certain circumstances)
• Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent)

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details below.

SPECIFIC HAILSHAM TOWN COUNCIL PRIVACY NOTICES

For full details on how we process data across specific services, please refer to the relevant privacy notice:

• Privacy Notice – Employees and Councillors Data
• Privacy Notice – General Council Services
• Privacy Notice – Marketing and Communications
• Privacy Notice – Recruitment and Volunteers
• Privacy Notice – Special Notices: CCTV / Public Consultations / Post Office and Banking Hub
• Privacy Notice – Suppliers / Contractors
• Privacy Notice – Youth Service  (add to Youth Service website, add Youth Service logo)

WEBSITE COOKIES AND TRACKING

The Council uses minimal cookies and only where essential for functionality. Interactive pages may place temporary cookies to ensure correct operation.

We do not use cookies for profiling or marketing unless explicitly stated in a specific privacy notice.

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

By using our website or services, you accept this Privacy Policy. Any updates will be posted on this webpage as soon as they come into effect. We encourage users to review this page periodically.

DISCLAIMER

While Hailsham Town Council takes extensive measures to safeguard your data, no system is completely secure. In the event of a data breach, we will act promptly to mitigate risks and comply with all legal reporting obligations.

CONTACT US

For questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data rights, please contact the website administrator.