Data Protection Act
You have the right to know what information the Council holds
about you on computer, and to have it corrected if it is wrong.
Contact the Council service which you think has the
information, or the Freedom of Information Officer.
Purpose of the Act
The Data Protection Act 1998 is designed to cover the
collecting, storing, processing and distribution of personal data.
It gives rights to individuals about whom information is
recorded.
This applies to all individuals whether they are an employee,
elected member or a member of the public. Each individual has the
right to access personal data, prevent processing likely to cause
damage or distress and prevent processing for the purposes of
direct marketing.
They also have rights in relation to automated decision taking,
to take action for compensation if they suffer damage by any
contravention of the Act by the data controller, to rectify, block,
erase or destroy inaccurate data and to make a request to the Data
Protection Commissioner for an assessment to be made of the data
controller if they feel that the Act has been contravened.
The Act places obligations on those who record and use personal
data (data controllers). They must be open about the use of such
personal data through notification to the Information Commissioner
and they must follow sound and proper practices by applying
the data protection principles.