Privacy & Cookies Policy

Introduction
Grindleton Parish Council is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly.

This Privacy and Cookies Policy explains what personal information we may collect through this website, how and why we use it, how long we keep it, and your rights under UK data protection law.

For the purposes of data protection law, Grindleton Parish Council is the data controller for personal information collected through this website.

Information We Collect
We may collect personal information when you:

contact the Council by email, telephone or through the website;
submit an enquiry, comment or request;
correspond with the Parish Clerk or councillors; or
provide information in connection with Council business.

This may include your name, email address, telephone number and any other information you choose to provide.

The website may also collect limited technical information automatically through cookies and similar technologies.

How We Use Your Information
We may use your personal information to:

respond to enquiries and requests;
provide information or assistance;
administer Council business;
carry out the Council's statutory duties and public functions;
maintain appropriate Council records;
manage and improve the website; and
comply with legal or regulatory requirements.

We will only use personal information where we have a lawful basis for doing so.

Our Lawful Basis for Using Your Information
The lawful basis we rely upon will depend on why we are using your personal information.

In many cases, we process personal information because it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of the Council's official authority.

We may also process information where this is necessary to comply with a legal obligation.

Where appropriate, we may rely on your consent. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
The appropriate lawful basis will depend on the circumstances and the purpose for which the information is being processed.

Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal information.

We may share personal information where this is necessary to carry out Council functions, deal with an enquiry, comply with a legal obligation or work with another public authority or service provider.

This may include sharing relevant information with organisations such as Ribble Valley Borough Council, Lancashire County Council or other public bodies where appropriate.

We may also use service providers that help us operate and maintain the website.

We will only share personal information where there is an appropriate reason and lawful basis for doing so.

How Long We Keep Your Information
We will not keep personal information for longer than is necessary.

How long information is retained will depend on its purpose, its nature and any legal, regulatory or record-keeping requirements that apply.

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or disposed of where appropriate.

Cookies
Cookies are small files placed on your device when you visit a website. They can be used to enable essential website functions and, depending on your choices, provide other features.

This website may use cookies that are necessary for the website to function correctly.

Cookies that are not strictly necessary will only be used where appropriate consent has been obtained.

You can manage your cookie preferences through the website's cookie settings and through your browser.
Disabling certain cookies may affect how some parts of the website work.

Third-Party Websites
This website may contain links to websites operated by other organisations.

Grindleton Parish Council is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. When following a link to another website, you should check that organisation's own privacy and cookie information.

Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis on which your information is being processed, you may have rights including:

the right to ask for access to personal information we hold about you;
the right to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances;
the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances;
the right to object to certain uses of your personal information; and
where processing is based on consent, the right to withdraw that consent.

You may also have the right to object where personal information is being processed for a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact the Parish Clerk.

Concerns and Complaints
If you have any questions or concerns about how Grindleton Parish Council uses your personal information, please contact the Parish Clerk in the first instance.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent regulator for data protection.
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

Contact Us
Parish Clerk
Tracey Boswell
Telephone: 07484 312225
Email: grindletonparishcouncil@gmail.com

Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy and Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the website, Council practices or legal requirements.
Last updated: 2 October 2026