Your data rights

Data protection legislation gives you control over your personal data through a number of data rights, including access to, correction of and deletion of personal data.

Information

  • Upon collection of your personal data you have the right to be informed about the purpose for which it is being collected, how long it will be kept for and who it will be shared with, among other information.
  • Some of this information will be communicated at the point of collection, while some is contained here on our website.

Access

  • You have the right to access the personal data we process about you.
  • Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to receive your personal data in a digitally portable format.
  • We will respond to access requests within one month.

Rectification

  • You have the right to have your personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • If the accuracy of the personal data is contested, we will store but not use it until its accuracy is verified.
  • We will respond to rectification requests within one month.

Erasure

  • Depending on the circumstances, you have the right to have personal data about you erased.
  • In circumstances where you cannot have personal data about you erased, you may be able to object to its processing.

Objection

  • You can object to your personal data being processed. Depending on your personal circumstances and the grounds for processing the personal data, we may be compelled by law to stop using it.
  • We may contest that there are legitimate grounds to continue using your personal data. In this instance, your personal data will be stored but not used while this is being considered.

If you would like to exercise any of these data rights or make an enquiry about data protection, you can contact the Data Protection Officer.

Data rights requests must be in writing, by email at dataprotectionofficer@woking.gov.uk or by writing to us: Data Protection Officer, Woking Borough Council, Civic Offices, Gloucester Square, Woking GU21 6YL.

Please provide as much information as you can

  • The ways you have provided your personal data to us in the past.
  • Whether you have provided your personal data to any specific areas of or service provided by the council.

This will allow us to process your request more quickly.

In the case of email, please identify which data right you are exercising both in the subject and the body of the email.

In some cases we may have to withhold data if it refers to other people who have not consented to disclosure, or if disclosure could cause damage or distress, or if disclosure would prejudice crime prevention or legal proceedings. When requests are manifestly unfounded or excessive, such as when they are repetitive, we reserve the right to charge a fee or refuse to respond.

Confirming your identity

To ensure your request is processed correctly, you must confirm your identity when making a request.

Submitted with you request, you must include one copy of your chosen identification from Groups 1 and 2; one copy from each group is required.

Group 1:

  • passport
  • proof of age card
  • work or student identification
  • travel pass
  • other membership card with photo

Group 2:

  • driving licence
  • utilities bill (less than 3 months old)
  • Council Tax bill (less than 3 months old)
  • current bank or building society statement
  • pension book

Applying on behalf of another person

If you're applying on behalf of another person, you will need to show proof of your identity as well as theirs, plus proof that you have permission to act on the person's (data subjects) behalf.

We will accept one of the following as proof that you have permission to act on the person's (data subjects) behalf.

  • A signed declaration by the person (data subject).
  • A signed declaration by a health professional confirming that the person (data subject) is unable to make the request themselves.
  • If the person (data subject) is a minor, a document confirming that you are their parent or guardian.