Data Protection
Last updated | 27/08/2010
Privacy Statement
Data Protection Responsibilities
Perth and Kinross Council (‘the Council’) supports the
objectives and principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. We
are committed to protecting your privacy when you visit our website
and the confidentiality of any personal information you provide to
us.
Use of Personal Information
Certain pages on our website ask you for personal information
– such as contact forms that ask for your name and email
address, or application forms that go into greater detail.
You may also choose to pass personal information to us by
email.
When you visit the site you do not have to give us any information
about yourself. Any personal information which you
voluntarily submit, either by email or through electronic forms,
will be used for the primary purpose for which you provided
it. We will only hold your information for as long as
necessary for these purposes and will not pass it to any external
organisation or agency unless this is made clear to you. In
some instances we may pass non-sensitive data to other Services
within the Council for general administrative purposes and the
well-being of the public. If you do not wish information
about you to be shared externally or within the Council you can
request this does not happen.
Data Matching
This authority is required by law to protect the public funds it
administers. It may share information provided to it with
other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public
funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.
On behalf of the Accounts Commission, Audit Scotland appoints the
auditor to audit the accounts of this authority. Audit
Scotland also assists appointed auditors by conducting a National
Fraud Initiative, which is a data matching exercise.
Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one
body against other computer records held by the same or another
body. This is usually personal information.
Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and
payments to be identified. Where a match is found it indicates that
there may be an inconsistency which requires further
investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is
fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried
out.
Audit Scotland currently requires us to participate in a data
matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of
fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to Audit
Scotland for matching for each exercise, and these are set out in
Audit Scotland’s Instructions (or Handbook), which can be
found at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/nfi.php
The use of data by Audit Scotland in a data matching exercise is
carried out with statutory authority:
- Until October 2010, under auditors' powers in Section 100 of
the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and Section 53 of the
Local Government in Scotland Act 2003. These powers may also
be used, where appropriate, after October 2010.
- From October 2010, under new data matching powers expected to
be included at Part 2A of the Public Finance and
Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 (as amended by Section 70 of the
Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010).
Audit Scotland does not require the consent of the individuals
concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Data matching by Audit Scotland is subject to a Code of Data
Matching Practice. This may also be found at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/nfi.php
For further information on Audit Scotland’s legal powers
and the reasons why it matches particular information, see the full
text (Level 3) fair processing notice at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/nfi.php
or contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below:
Data Protection Officer
Perth & Kinross Council
2 High Street
Perth PH1 5PH
Email: dataprotection@pkc.gov.uk
Links to third party sites
Perth and Kinross Council is not responsible for the accuracy of
material on linked sites, does not necessarily endorse the views
expressed within them, and does not guarantee that links to
external sites will work at all times.
Visitor statistics
The Council collects information automatically about your visit to
our site for statistical purposes. Some information is
obtained using ‘cookies’; see
aboutcookies.org for a
detailed explanation. Cookies do not enable us to find out
your name or any other personal information. The information
collected includes:
- Your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer or Firefox)
- The pages you have visited
- How long you have spent on our site
- And, if you used our site search, the search words you
used to get to the page you were looking for (e.g.
"Libraries")
We use this information to:
- Aid development of the website and its content; and to
- Audit usage of the site
The information gathered will not be used by Perth and Kinross
Council for marketing purposes, nor passed on to other companies.
If you have any questions regarding the collection of statistics
then please email
webmaster@pkc.gov.uk
Access to your information
You have a right to request a copy of all information the Council
holds about you. Applications should be made to:
Data Protection Officer
Perth & Kinross Council
2 High Street
Perth PH1 5PH
Email:
dataprotection@pkc.gov.uk
