Waste collection privacy notice

Updated: 21 September 2023

Our contact details

Name: Data Protection Officer

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

Phone number: 01344 352000

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

Email: dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

The type of personal information we collect

We currently collect and process the following information:

  • name
  • address
  • contact information (telephone numbers and email address)

We also collect the following special category information:

  • information related to your physical health, including disabilities and medical waste to be collected

Payment card information is processed but not stored by Bracknell Forest Council. Payment card information is securely processed by the council’s payments processor GOV.UK Pay.

In some circumstances, the council’s waste collection crews may need to take photographs of bins and their contents. This may be done so there is a record of why a bin wasn’t emptied, for example if a recycling bin contained incorrect items the crew would photograph the contents, this can then be used to help inform a resident why the bin wasn’t emptied. If photographs are taken, they are stored for 6 months.

How we get the personal information and why we have it

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

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

  • you as an individual (through our online form, by email, over the telephone or in person)
  • doctor surgeries, district nurses or carers (for clinical waste requests)

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

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

Public task

The public tasks we carry out as a local authority are found in:

Who we share your information with

Information held by the council may be shared with our waste collection contractor SUEZ. This is to allow them to deal with enquiries, requests, complaints that relate to the waste collection service.

How we store your personal information

Your information is securely stored on the council’s customer service system called Liberty Create, and on our Electronic Document Retention and Management System (Microsoft SharePoint EDRMS).

We keep your information for 1 year after the date it was last modified.

We will then dispose your information by deleting your information from our systems.

No personal data is stored outside the UK. 

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: es.admin@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 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 es.admin@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