The primary privacy notice explains how we use your information across the council.
Some services have extra privacy information because they use your data in a way that is specific to that service.
If a service is not listed, it follows the primary privacy notice and does not use your information in a way that is different from it.
About this notice
We collect, use and store personal information to provide services and meet our legal duties.
This notice explains the council‑wide rules we follow when we process your information.
If you use a specific council service, you should also read that service’s privacy notice.
It explains what information we collect for that service, why we need it, and who we share it with.
What counts as personal information
Personal information is anything that can identify you, such as:
- Your name, address or date of birth
- Contact details such as phone number or email
- Identification numbers such as National Insurance number
- Information about your family or household
- Records of the services you use or contact you have with us
Some services may also collect special category data such as:
- Health information
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Sexual orientation
Why we collect your information
We process personal information to:
- Deliver services you have requested
- Meet our legal and regulatory duties
- Protect public funds
- Plan and improve council services
- Keep people safe
Our legal basis for processing
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your information.
The most common ones we use are:
- Public task – to carry out our official duties
- Legal obligation – to comply with the law
- Contract – to provide a service you have agreed to
- Consent – where you have agreed to it
- Vital interests – to protect someone’s life
Some services may also process special category data under specific conditions set out in law.
Service‑level notices will tell you the exact basis used for that service.
When you must provide information
Some information is required by law or needed to provide a service.
If you do not provide it, we may not be able to:
- Process your application
- Provide the service you requested
- Meet our legal obligations
Service‑level notices explain these requirements in more detail.
Where we get your information
We may get information directly from you, from other council departments, or from other organisations such as:
- Government departments (e.g. DWP, HMRC)
- NHS organisations
- Police and other local authorities
- Contractors and service providers working for us
Who we share information with
We may share your information with:
- Other council departments
- Government bodies
- Organisations we work with to deliver services
- Regulators, auditors and agencies when required by law
We only share what is necessary and will never sell your information.
Service‑level notices explain exactly who we share your information with.
International transfers
If we transfer personal information outside the UK, we will only do so where:
- The UK has recognised the country as having adequate data protection laws, or
- We have put safeguards in place, such as approved contracts
Automated decision‑making
Some services may use automated systems to make decisions about you.
Where this happens, you have the right to:
- Ask for human involvement
- Express your point of view
- Challenge the decision
Service‑level notices explain if this applies.
How long we keep your information
We keep information only for as long as it is needed.
Some services must keep records for a set period by law.
Service‑level notices tell you how long they keep information.
How we protect your information
We use technical and organisational measures to keep your information secure.
This includes access controls, encryption and staff training.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- Ask for a copy of your information
- Ask us to correct inaccurate information
- Ask us to delete information in certain situations
- Restrict or object to our use of your information
- Ask us to transfer your information to another organisation
Some rights may not apply in all situations.
How to use your rights
You can make a request by:
- Completing our Subject Access Request form
- Emailing data.protection@trafford.gov.uk
We will respond within one month, unless your request is complex.
How to complain
If you are unhappy with how we have used your information, contact our Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection Officer
Trafford Council, Town Hall, Talbot Road, Stretford M32 0TH
Email: data.protection@trafford.gov.uk
If you are still not satisfied, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
ICO
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Changes to this notice
We review this notice regularly and will update it if the way we use your information changes.
The latest version will always be available on our website.