Free school meals privacy notice

Updated: 27 October 2023

Our contact details

Name: Data Protection Officer

Address: Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD

Phone Number: 01344 352000

Email: dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Bracknell Forest Council is registered as a controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

You can find us on the ICO website - our registration number is Z4971654.

The type of personal information we collect

We currently collect and process the following information:

  • free school meal application forms
  • parent and guardians information:
    • full name
    • National Insurance number
    • date of birth,
    • address
    • contact details
  • child’s information:
    • full name
    • address
    • school
    • date of birth
  • proof of qualifying benefit

How we get the personal information and why we have it

All of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you or someone acting on your behalf, for one of the following reasons:

  • to process your application
  • to enable us to inform your child’s current school of your child’s entitlement
  • to enable us to contact you to get benefit information where required

We also receive personal information indirectly, from the following sources:

  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • schools

How the law allows us to use your personal information

We have a legal obligation under Section 512 of The Education Act 1996.

Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information is Article 6 UK GDPR:

  • (a) you have given consent
  • (c) processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject
  • (e) a task carried out in the public interest

Where we do use consent to process your personal data, we will explain to you what we are asking you to agree to and why.

If we have consent to use your personal data, you have the right to remove it at any time.

If you want to remove your consent, contact us by emailing: fsm@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

If you remove your consent we are unlikely to be able to provide continued services to you.

Who we share your information with

We share information with:

  • your child’s current school to inform them of the outcome of your application
  • the government eligibility checking hub to determine your eligibility for free school meals
  • the Department for Education

How we store your personal information

Your information is stored only as long as required to process your application.

Once your application has been processed and your child’s current school informed of the outcome, all of your personal information is deleted.

Data will not be kept for longer than is necessary and is kept in line with the council’s retention and disposal schedule.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights we need to make you aware of. The rights available to you depend on our reason for processing your information.

Your right of access

You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. This right always applies. There are some exemptions, which means you may not always receive all the information we process.

Find out more about your right of access from the ICO.

Your right to get your data corrected

You have the right to ask us to correct information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete. This right always applies.

Find out more about your right to get your data corrected from the ICO.

Your right to get your data deleted

You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your right to get your data deleted from the ICO.

Your right to limit how organisations use your data

You have the right to ask us to limit the processing of your information in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your right to limit how organisations use your data from the ICO.

Your right to object to the use of your data

You have the right to object to processing if we are able to process your information because the process forms part of our public tasks.

Find out more about your right to object to the use of your data from the ICO.

Your right to data portability

This only applies to information you have given us. You have the right to ask that we transfer the information you gave us from one organisation to another, or give it to you.

The right only applies if we are processing information based on your consent or for the performance of a contract, and the processing is automated.

Find out more about your right to data portability from the ICO.

Making a request

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have 28 days to respond to you.

To make a request, contact us by emailing: fsm@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Service adjustments

As a public authority and a provider of services to the public, we have a legal duty to comply with the Equality Act 2010.

This means we need to make service adjustments for anyone with a disability who contacts us in any capacity, to eliminate any barriers to accessing our services.

Our lawful basis for processing this information is article 6(1)(c) of the UK GDPR as we have a legal obligation to provide this. Our processing of special category data, such as health information you give us, will be based on article 9(2)(a), which means we need your consent.

We will create a record of your adjustment requirements. These will give your name, contact details and type of adjustment required, along with a brief description of why it is required. Relevant staff can access this to make sure they are communicating with you in the required way.

Please contact fsm@bracknell-forest.gov.uk should you require service adjustments.

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data by:

  • visiting the ICO website
  • phoning the ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113
  • writing to:
    • Information Commissioner’s Office
      Wycliffe House
      Water Lane
      Wilmslow
      Cheshire
      SK9 5AF