Data protection and freedom of information

The council holds a variety of information and needs to follow the relevant legislation to ensure that information is protected and used responsibly.

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you certain rights, and also demands that the council responds in certain ways.

The Act says that those who record and use personal information must be open about how the information is used and must make sure that data is:

 

  • fairly and lawfully processed,
  • processed for limited purposes,
  • adequate, relevant and not excessive,
  • accurate,
  • not kept for longer than is necessary,
  • processed in line with your rights,
  • secure, and
  • not transferred to other countries without adequate protection.

 

By law the council must keep to these rules.

This means that any personal information that you give Stirling Council will only be used to provide the service(s) that you requested. In some areas, we believe that we can provide a more efficient service by sharing your information within the council. In these cases, we will tell you that your information may be shared. It will not be disclosed outside the council without your prior consent unless required by law.

Freedom of Information (FOI) is about improving citizens' access to information about the organisations they deal with every day. FOI aims to deliver greater openness and transparency throughout the public sector and applies to all Scottish public authorities, including Stirling Council.

 

 

Further information…