Community protection


Privacy notice

This privacy notice explains how we process your personal data when you interact with us and information about your rights under data protection legislation.

We reserve the right to update this privacy notice. Changes apply as soon as they are published. We recommend that you visit this page regularly to find out about any updates that may have been made.

Page updated: 7 December 2023

Contact us

We are Maidstone Borough Council of Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ. We are the “data controller”. This means that we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use your personal data.

You can find us in the Information Commissioner’s register of organisations who have paid the data controller fee. Our reference number is Z4752882.

If you have any questions about this privacy notice or if you would like to exercise your rights, please contact the Data Protection Officer:

Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 6JQ

Phone: 01622 602000
Email: Data Protection Officer

Your rights

You have rights under data protection legislation. Full details of these rights can be found on our data protection page.

We normally have to comply when you tell us that you want to exercise your rights. There are some legal exemptions. These will be explained if an exemption applies to your request.

There is no charge for you to exercise your rights. We may refuse your request or make a reasonable charge if your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

Before we deal with your request we may ask you for proof of your identity. After receiving your proof we will process your request as soon as possible. We will respond within one calendar month in most cases.

How to complain

If you are not happy with how we are processing your personal data, you can complain to us using the contact details above. If you are still unhappy after contacting us, you can contact the relevant competent supervisory authority - the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You can contact the ICO:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113
Visit the ICO website

Your obligations

It is important that you tell us if your personal data changes while you are using our services. This will mean that the data we hold about you is kept up to date and accurate.

Community protection services

Types of personal data we collect

Open

This privacy notice covers the following areas of investigatory work:

  • animal welfare / licensing
  • anti-social behaviour, including case reviews and hate crimes
  • caravan licensing
  • dangerous and/or nuisance dogs
  • domestic abuse
  • drainage
  • event safety / road closures
  • filthy and/or nuisance properties - hording
  • light
  • noise
  • odour
  • smoke
  • unauthorised encampments
  • vermin and pest control

For each of these we process the following types of personal data:

  • name
  • address
  • phone number
  • email address
  • proof of identity - where applicable
  • vehicle registration - where applicable
  • age / date of birth - where applicable
  • nature of the matter that requires investigation - including locations, times, dates, individuals involved, witness statements, evidential material
  • CCTV footage- including evidential footage supplied as part of an investigation and/or body worn camera footage from officers where applicable

Where applicable and necessary to the investigation we also hold the following types of special category data:

  • medical details including health information and details of your doctor(s)
  • racial or ethnic origin
  • religious or philosophical beliefs
  • sex life
  • sexual orientation
  • previous convictions

Please note that corporate complaints are processed under the council’s Complaints Policy, which is separate to Community Protection complaints.

Why we have your personal data and how we get it

Open

We use your personal data to:

  • provide you with the above services and supporting investigations
  • retain a record so we can audit, and quality assure our services, and to inform decision-making about our services
  • plan and manage our services and to meet the requirements of external regulators
  • to keep visitors and staff safe and secure, officer’s may wear body worn cameras at our premises which records images. we also use CCTV at our premises which records images
  • contact you regarding user satisfaction surveys, consultations and for staying in touch.

We also use cookies and other analytic technologies to give you a better experience on our website and to improve the relevance of online advertising you see. For more information, please see our cookie notice.

Keeping your personal data

Open
  • personal data sent via e-mail will be kept for 7 years from the date received
  • personal data arising from evidence and investigations will be kept for 7 years from the end of the service being provided to you
  • for cases with result in a criminal conviction personal data is retained for the length of the sentence or 7 years - whichever is the longest
  • CCTV footage will be kept for 30 days, unless it is used for evidence - in which case it is held for 6 years

Our lawful basis

Open

Our lawful basis to process your personal data is both legal obligation and in the public interest. This is dependent on the circumstances in accordance with the following legislation:

  • Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963
  • Animal Welfare Act 2006
  • Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018
  • Animals Act 1971
  • Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
  • Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014
  • Breeding of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999
  • Breeding of Dogs Act 1973
  • Building Act 1984
  • Caravan Sites Act 1968
  • Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960
  • Clean Air Act 1993
  • Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005
  • Control of Pollution Act 1974
  • Control of Pollution Act 1989
  • Dangerous Dogs Act 1989
  • Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
  • Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
  • Dogs (Fouling of Lane) Act 1996
  • Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953
  • Dogs Act 1871
  • Dogs Act 1906
  • Environment Act 1995
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • European Communities Act 1972
  • Games Licences Act 1860
  • Health Act 2006
  • Licensing Act 2003
  • Local Government (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1976
  • Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982
  • Maidstone Borough Council Act 2006
  • Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015
  • Mobile Homes Act 1983
  • Mobile Homes Act 2013
  • Noise Act 1996
  • Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993
  • Pet Animals Act 1951
  • Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
  • Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999
  • Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
  • Protection of Animals Act 1911
  • Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
  • Public Health Act 1936
  • Public Health Act 1961
  • Rabies (Control) Order 1974
  • Riding Establishments Act 1970
  • Riding Establishments Act 1964
  • Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (Sec 215, 219, 330, 324(1), 325(1))
  • Town Police Clauses Act 1847
  • Water Industry Act 1991

Where we process your personal data under the lawful basis of consent you will be notified and asked to opt in or out.

Sharing your personal data

Open

Your personal data will only be shared with other organisations when necessary and it will always be shared securely. We will only share your personal data if the law lets us and we always aim to share as little data as necessary.

We share your personal data with:

  • contractors including Goodwin Pest Management for vermin and pest control and Viking Oak for stray dogs
  • registered social landlords / housing associations / supported accommodation providers
  • Kent County Council
  • other local authorities
  • anti-fraud and law enforcement agencies for the prevention and detection of crime
  • police
  • fire and rescue service
  • Environment Agency
  • HM Revenue and Customs
  • Immigration and Border Force agencies
  • commissioned services and support Services, including charities
  • our parent department(s) in central government in line with statutory functions

As part of interagency initiatives and Maidstone Task Force we may share personal data with our partnership organisations. This may include:

  • Kent Police
  • Kent County Council
  • One Maidstone
  • housing associations
  • voluntary organisations

We will only share your data when it is necessary and lawful for us to do so.

Storing your personal data

Open

The council stores your personal data in the UK. We do not transfer your personal data to any other countries including countries in the EU and EEA (European Economic Area).

Third parties may transfer your personal data outside the UK. Please refer to their privacy notices for more details.