Council Tax privacy notice
Your privacy is very important to South Holland District Council.
Council Tax data is shared with the Office of National Statistics for statistical purposes.
South Holland District Council is the Data Controller responsible for the personal information you may provide in relation to administering Council Tax. Our Data Protection Officer, can be contacted via email: dpo@sholland.gov.uk or by writing to us at Legal Services, South Holland District Council, Council Offices, Priory Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2XE. If you have an enquiry regarding your Council Tax account, you should email counciltax@sholland.gov.uk
Your data will be processed by Public Sector Partnership Services Ltd (PSPS), a company owned by Boston Borough, East Lindsey District and South Holland District Councils. PSPS's Data Protection Officer can be contacted via email: Data.Protection@pspsl.co.uk, or by writing to us at Data Protection Officer, Public Sector Partnership Services Ltd, The Hub, Mareham Road, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6PH.
We also use other approved companies to help us deliver our services, including Capita Software Services Ltd, Liberata Ltd, Destin Solutions Ltd, Northgate Public Services (UK) Ltd, Datatank Ltd, Critiqom Ltd and Goss Interactive Ltd.
Why we need your personal data
Your information will be used to administer and enforce Council Tax. The legal basis for processing your data is Article 6 (1(c)) of the General Data Protection Regulations, namely the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and its associated regulations, as we are under a legal obligation to administer and collect Council Tax.
How your data is used
The council has a duty to protect the public funds it administers and may use information held about you for all lawful purposes, including, but not limited to:
- prevention and detection of fraud,
- matching data with electoral registration records and
- protecting public funds in investigating misuse of public money.
The council has a legal obligation to share Council Tax data with the Office of National Statistics. This will be used for statistical purposes.
The council is required by law to participate in National Fraud Initiative (NFI) data matching exercises. Council Tax information may be provided to the Cabinet Office for NFI purposes and will be used for cross-system and cross-authority comparison for the prevention and detection of fraud.
We may also share this information with other bodies responsible for detecting and preventing fraud or auditing and administering public funds as required by law.
We may pass your information to other departments within the council, such as electoral registration and planning enforcement. We may also pass your information to other agencies or organisations such as HM Revenues and Customs, and debt enforcement agencies, as allowed by law.
We may check information you have provided or information about you that someone else has provided, with other information we hold. Sources of information include landlords, letting agents, estate agents, medical professionals, care homes and other Councils.
We may also get information about you from certain third parties, or give them information to ensure the information is accurate and to prevent/detect crime and protect public funds. This includes Credit Reference Agencies, Police, Electoral Registration, HMRC and Land Registry.
We may share information with other organisations such as Citizens Advice, where we have your consent and it is in your interest.
We will not disclose your personal information to third parties for marketing or sales purposes or for any commercial use, and we will not use your personal data in a way which may cause you harm.
Where you pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit we will also use those bank details in order to administer refunds and payments due under government schemes, such as the 'Energy Bills - Council Tax Rebate 2022-23'. If you wish for such payments to be issued by an alternative method, please contact us to advise.
How long the information is kept for
Council Tax began on 1 April 1993 and in some instances the amount of Council Tax that is payable can be reduced from this date. Consequently, in order that we are able to refund any money that is due, we keep the necessary records from this date.
Your rights
You have the right to access your data and correct any inaccuracies. For further details of your rights please contact the Data Protection Officer.