Face to Face, One Stop Shop

18 May 2018

How we use your personal information for Administering Services via Contact Wrexham

The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them. Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with.

We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for administering services via Contact Wrexham.

Who we are, what we do

Contact Wrexham is the main One Stop Shop providing a Face to Face service for the Council. It includes services that are handled by Contact Wrexham for Council Tax, Benefits, Blue badges, Environmental Services, Planning, Housing, Housing Options, and Adult Social Care.

All visits to the One Stop Shop are recorded in the following ways:

  • CCTV is used to record all visitors to Contact Wrexham, this records all images of visitors to Contact Wrexham
  • A Footfall Counter is used to record the number of visitors to Contact Wrexham on a daily basis, this is a ‘click’ system and does not record any images or personal data.
  • All payments made via the payment kiosks are recorded except for Payment Card details.
  • All enquiries/appointments are recorded using a Customer Record Management system

What and whose personal information we hold

Where customers choose to interact with Contact Wrexham their personal data may be shared with the relevant service area/and wider organisations if necessary in order for them to process the customer’s request.

The type of information that will be recorded will vary for each customer but typically includes:

  • Contact detail such as name, address, telephone number, property and email addresses.
  • Identifying details, including date of birth and national insurance number.
  • Financial information, including employment, income, bank account details.
  • Family information including ages, dependents, marital status.
  • Information about the subject matters health and medical details.

Where does the service get my information?

The source(s) of personal information provided to/from Contact Wrexham may include:

  • Information provided directly by the subject matter
  • Information provided by another member of the public (such as complaint or concern)
  • Information provided by an elected Councillor on behalf of their constituent.
  • Information provided by other Council officers/services that liaise with the Contact Wrexham in the interests of its customers, or the Council itself
  • Information provided by other organisations (such as Emergency Services, Landlords) regarding an individual.

What we will do with your personal information?

It is common practice to record customer details. Recording customer conversations allows the Council to assess customer satisfaction, train and develop staff, review service quality, and have access to a record of what is said in the event of a subsequent complaint. It also means employees feel more protected knowing that any threatening behaviour can be evidenced and acted upon where necessary.

Information held can be used in the following ways:

  • Quality and Training Purposes: Written records provide are taken to provide information for service provision. This can help us identify any improvement areas and ensure the quality of service provided by Contact Wrexham staff, by using the information gathered it helps to inform training subjects and individual employee development plans.
  • Complaints and Disputes: Some enquiries are verbally resolved. Where information is entered onto an electronic system this becomes the established record. In the event of a complaint or dispute, CCTV recording (if available), may provide additional information to help us investigate any allegations, to protect the interests of the subject matter and/or the Council by using the information within the recording to respond to complaints regarding the Contact Wrexham and/or other Council services.
  • Legal Claims: CCTV is used to assist/detect any crime or disorder within Contact Wrexham or the immediate vicinity of Lord Street or use in the defence of legal claims against the Council.
  • Employee Safety and Well-being: A CCTV recording may become a vital piece of evidence in the event of any threats being made to Council Staff or members of the public

What is the legal basis for the use of this information?

The recording of visits to Contact Wrexham protects the interest of the subject matter and the Council in meeting:

  • Legal Obligations – using the information to comply with a common law or statutory obligation
  • Public Tasks – to exercise ‘official authority’ and powers that are set out in law or to perform a specific task in the public interest that is set out in law.

Examples for both of the above may include administer Council Tax, award correct Benefits, and advice on various entitlement requests such as Social Care, Issuing Blue Badges and the defect of legal claims against the Council.

Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?

Whilst information gathered during a visit may be shared with other Council services or external organisations to assist in the resolution of the subject matters enquiry, all visits are confidential and will only be shared with the following, where reasons for sharing is justified:

  • Other Council services who work with the Contact Wrexham, with the intention to assist in resolving a dispute or complaint.
  • The Police, to assist in the resolution of a criminal matter.
  • Other organisations involved in the care of the subject matter (such as Social Services/Health care professionals)

How long will my information be kept?

  • Records are kept by Contact Wrexham on the Customer Relationship Management system for up to 6 years. Once this period of retention has expired, recordings will be deleted and no longer retrievable.
  • CCTV records are kept for 14 days.
  • Data from the Footfall Counter is held for up to 6 years.