Engagement, Consultation and Survey Privacy Notice

What information do we collect?

Depending on the purpose of the survey, consultation or engagement activity, we may collect some or all, of the following information:

• Age
• Sex or gender
• Disability
• Ethnicity
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation
• Housing status
• Area, locality, postcode or ward
• Business type or sector
• Organisation or stakeholder group
• Views, opinions and feedback relating to council services, policies, projects or proposals

Most demographic and equality monitoring questions are optional and do not need to be completed.

Why do we collect your information?

Surveys, consultations and engagement activities are designed to gather feedback from people who live, work, visit or have an interest in the area or the services provided by the Council.

The information collected helps us to:

• Understand the views and experiences of our communities and stakeholders.
• Support evidence-based decision making.
• Inform service planning and improvement.
• Shape policies, strategies and projects.
• Understand the impact of proposals on different groups.
• Meet our equality and inclusion responsibilities.
• Improve the quality and accessibility of services.

Legal basis for processing

Participation in this survey is entirely voluntary. By choosing to complete and submit the survey, you consent to Bromsgrove District Council processing the information you provide for the purposes described in this privacy statement.

Any demographic information requested within a survey is optional and does not need to be completed. Where you choose to provide information relating to age, sex, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, the Council will use this information to monitor equality, diversity and inclusion and to better understand whether different groups experience services, policies or proposals differently.

Where demographic data is collected for equality monitoring purposes, it is processed under Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR, which permits processing that is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Council.

Where demographic data is special category data, provided for equality monitoring purposes, processing is carried out under Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR and Schedule 1, Part 2, Paragraph 8 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Equality of Opportunity or Treatment).

How do we collect your information?

We collect information through a range of engagement methods, including:

• Surveys and questionnaires
• Public consultations
• Community engagement events
• Workshops and focus groups
• Online engagement platforms
• Stakeholder meetings
• Other engagement and feedback activities conducted by or on behalf of the Council

How will your information be used?

Your information will be used to analyse feedback, identify themes and trends, and help inform decisions, priorities, policies, projects and services.

Where engagement activities are anonymous, responses will not be linked back to you as an individual.

If contact details are requested for a specific purpose, such as providing updates or participating in future engagement, this will be clearly explained at the point of collection.

When will we share your information?

Information may be shared with the Council service area responsible for delivering the relevant service, project, policy or consultation.

Where necessary, information may also be shared with partner organisations acting on behalf of, or working with, the Council in relation to the engagement activity.

Survey and consultation findings may be included within reports, decision-making documents, committee reports or published summaries. Responses will normally be reported in an aggregated or anonymous format and will not identify individuals unless explicit consent has been provided.

Know your rights

Information about data protection rights can be found here.

If you have any queries or concerns regarding data protection matters, please email information.manage@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk

How long will we keep your information?

Information collected through surveys, consultations and engagement activities will normally be retained for 2 years from the date the survey or engagement activity closes, unless a different retention period is stated within the survey or required for a specific project, service, legal obligation or statutory function.

At the end of the retention period, information will be securely deleted or anonymised in accordance with the Council's retention schedule.