Corporate complaints privacy notice

Published: 13 June 2024

This notice does not cover complaints that are dealt with under a statutory process, such as adult social care and children’s social care.

See our adult social care privacy notice.

See our children’s social care privacy notice.

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, depending on the circumstances of the complaint:

  • name
  • contact details
  • family details
  • age 
  • date of birth
  • financial information
  • bank details
  • case identifiers
  • CCTV images

We may also collect the following special category information, depending on the circumstances of the complaint:

  • health information
  • racial and ethnic origin
  • religious and philosophical beliefs
  • data concerning sex life and sexual orientation
  • political opinions
  • needs assessments
  • care records or plan
  • trade union membership

How we get the personal information and why we have it

The personal information we process is provided to us for one or more of the following reasons:

  • to communicate with individuals about complaints
  • to investigate complaints

We receive information directly, or indirectly, from the following sources:

  • from you as the complainant
  • investigators
  • the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
  • interpreters
  • relevant departments within the council as required for the particular complaint

How the law allows us to use your personal information

Lawful basis for processing

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

(c) We have a legal obligation
(e) We need it to perform a public task

Special category data

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing the information is Article 9 UK GDPR:

  • (g) Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest

Our substantial public interest condition for processing under Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 is:

  • (6) Statutory and government purposes

You can read the guide to lawful basis for processing special category data on the Information Commissioner's Office website.


Our legal obligation and the public task we carry out as a local authority, is found in:

  • S. 111 Local Government Act 1972

Who we share your information with

Information held by the council may be shared with the following organisations:

  • external investigators in conjunction with enquiries and investigations by external investigators
  • the council’s insurer to provide details to any subsequent insurance claims
  • academy schools, contractors, other local authorities to allow others to provide relevant information relating to a complaint
  • the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in conjunction with relevant enquiries and investigations
  • interpreters, to provide interpretive support to a complainant attending an investigatory meeting
  • information may also be shared with other teams within the council as necessary in relation to the particular complaint

How we store your personal information

Your information is securely stored on our secure server. Your contact details will be kept for six years. We will then dispose your information by deleting the information from our server.

Retention periods are laid out in 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:

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.

Should you require service adjustments, contact us by:

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