Spelthorne Borough Council processes your personal information to allow us to undertake Strategic Planning (Planning Policy) work. This work includes:
- preparing Local Plans and associated planning policies, documents and guidance,
- monitoring development,
- working with neighbouring authorities, Surrey County Council and other stakeholders (including Highways England, the Environment Agency, Natural England) on strategic planning matters,
- involvement in Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects such as Heathrow Airport expansion.
In order to comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, Spelthorne Borough Council must provide you with the following information about the personal information you give to us or we receive from third parties:
What information does the Council collect?
We collect personal information from various sources including:
- representations received during Strategic Planning consultations
- engagement activities associated with the work of Strategic Planning
- contact by individuals or organisations to various services within the council
- via organisations working on our behalf
- information that you have submitted to the Planning Development Management team at the council
The information we collect includes names, contact details, information relating to expressed opinions or intentions and, in some cases, information about land or property, the name of the organisation you are responding on behalf of.
For some engagements we may collect additional personal information – this will be made clear for those activities at the time.
At our in-person events we may take photos, and/or video or audio recordings. See Add link later.
Why does the Council process personal information?
The Strategic Planning Team collects personal data to fulfil our statutory duty and help us deliver sustainable development. We are processing much of this data in order to produce a Local Plan and have a legal obligation to do so as stated under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). For statutory consultations we are unable to accept anonymous representations.
When we process your information for non-statutory matters, we are doing so under the basis of the UK GDPR processing is necessary for the performance of a public task.
Who does the Council share your personal information with?
- We may share personal data with consultants who assist us at appropriate times when additional resource /expertise is required for the work, or they may collect data on our behalf,
- We may use engagement platforms to undertake consultations on our behalf so they will collect personal data on our behalf under contract with us,
- We may use third party software to carry out some work,
- We may share personal data with other departments within the Council. This may include Legal Services, Land Charges, Planning Development Management, Environmental Health, Assets, Housing Strategy, Customer Services and Elected Members,
- Judicial Agencies e.g. Courts, The Planning Inspectorate,
- The council is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and may have to release the names of individuals who submit consultation responses on behalf of stakeholder organisations.
- We will not provide personal data to anyone else or use the data about you for any other purpose unless the law allows or requires us to.
How long does the Council keep your information?
Records are kept in accordance with the Council's retention schedule, and we will not keep your information for longer than necessary.
We will normally retain your details throughout the process of producing a Local Plan, and until the subsequent Local Plan is adopted. This is unlikely to be for more than a period of 25 years.
Once a new Local Plan has been adopted, we will consider the need to retain your information and may contact you to check that the details we hold are up to date, and that you wish to be contacted about future Local Plan work.
For further information about how the Council uses your personal information, including your rights as a data subject, please see below.
If you have any direct enquiries, Spelthorne Borough Council's Data Protection Officer can be contacted at data.protection@spelthorne.gov.uk.