Warwick District Council is responsible for exercising certain functions within its area in particular issuing environmental permits. It is also required to provide the public with access to environmental information and consult with the public in certain cases. The principle behind this is to encourage greater awareness of issues affecting the environment and thus increase public participation in decision making. This makes public bodies more accountable and transparent and builds public confidence.
Matters affecting the environment are matters of public interest and we are required to publish certain information received in relation to proposals affecting the environment. This information is usually published on our website. Where possible, we will redact personal data from information that we publish.
When we are required to consult on an environmental permit application, the completed form will be published on our website. We will redact personal data where it is not in the public interest to disclose this information. Where an individual appoints an agent, we will usually publish agents contact details.
Local Authorities have a legal duty to make available certain details relating to environmental permits (as a public register). The name and address of an applicant are published as this information forms part of the Statutory Register. Consultees and those submitting comments on an application will be made available on the Council’s website and also form part of the public register.
What personal data do we process?
When you contact the Council in connection with an environmental permit application, we will routinely collect personal data from you in order to deal with your enquiry. This can be collected by completion of one of our online forms or contacting us directly.
What do we do with this personal data?
We need to process your personal data in order to consider the application and any representations made.
How do we share this personal data?
In some cases, we need to share information that you give us. We share personal data with other departments within the Council; external organisations (for example, the County Council, Town Council, Environment Agency, Natural England and other statutory and non-statutory consultees); the Planning Inspectorate and other external bodies (for example consultants). In the case of representations to a proposal, we will publish the name of the individual making the representation and the comments on our website. This information will also be placed on the public register. Further information on commenting on applications may be found on the view/comment on a planning application page.
We will only share your personal information where this is required to enable us to perform our function and where it is lawful.
What is our lawful basis for processing personal data?
Our lawful basis for processing personal data is in order to perform a task in the public interest and/or official authority vested. Our lawful basis for processing special category data is in the substantial public interest to exercise the functions conferred upon us.
How long do we keep your personal data?
Records are kept wherever possible in accordance with the Council’s retention policy.
Your rights
You are entitled to request a copy of any information that we hold about you. We request that you make any such requests in writing. If the information we hold about you is inaccurate you have a right to have this corrected and you have the right to request completion of incomplete data.
You have the right to request that we stop, or restrict the processing of your personal data, in certain circumstances. Where possible we will seek to comply with your request, but we may be required to hold or process information to perform our statutory functions.