Privacy notice: Bereavement Services

1. Introduction

This notice explains the type of personal information we may collect from you when you interact with us. It also explains how we will store and handle that information, as well as keep it safe and secure.

We will keep our privacy notice under regular review and will advise you of any updates on our website.

This Notice was last reviewed in June 2022.

2. Who we are

For the purposes of Data Protection legislation, South Tyneside Council is the Data Controller.

3. What type of personal information do we collect?

We may collect the following types of personal information:

Name
Address
Telephone number
Email address

4. How do we collect personal information?

We may collect your personal information in a number of ways, for example:

In person
In writing, from a letter, email or application from
Telephone calls
Online forms
Referrals from another department
Family members acting on your behalf
Solicitors or insurance companies acting on your behalf

5. Why do we collect your personal information?

It is a legal requirement for us to collect, record, process and store the personal data of any individual who:

Applies for a cremation
Applies for a burial
Owns the Exclusive Right of Burial for a grave
Applies for an exhumation

We will also collect, record, process and store the personal data of any individual who:

Purchases a memorial to be placed in the crematorium grounds or a cemetery
Makes an enquiry or request with us

This is so we can maintain contact with you and respond to enquiries and requests.

6. Who might we share your personal information with?

We will not share your personal information with any third parties unless you have specifically asked us to, or if we have a legal obligation to do so.

7. How long will we keep your personal information?

We will only keep your personal information for as long as necessary.

It is a legal requirement for us to store the personal data in perpetuity of any individual who:

Applies for a cremation
Applies for a burial
Owns the Exclusive Right of Burial for a grave
Applies for an exhumation

We will store the personal data of any individual who purchases a memorial for 2 years (or longer if there is a reason for keeping it).

We will store the personal data of any individual who makes an enquiry or request with us until the enquiry or request has been completed.

8. What is our legal basis for using your personal information?

To use your personal information there must be a lawful basis to do this, such as, through a contract, performing a public task or where there is a legal obligation.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

We have a legal obligation
We have entered into a contract with you
We need it to perform a public task

9. How do we keep your personal information secure?

Information provided to Bereavement Services is held securely on our digital network. If a paper record exists it is held securely within our premises. Only officers working within Bereavement Services and system administrators have access to these records.

10. Is your personal information used overseas?

Your personal information is not used oversees.

11.What are your rights?

Your individual rights are set out in law. Subject to some legal exemptions, you have the following rights:

Right to be informed
Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to erasure
Right to restrict processing
Right to data portability
Right to object
Rights in relating to automated decision making and profiling

12. Contact us

If you would like to exercise your rights in relation to your personal information, or you feel that something has gone wrong with your personal information, you can contact us in either of the following ways:

By email: data.protection@southtyneside.gov.uk

By telephone: 0191 424 6539

In writing:

South Tyneside Council
Information Governance
Town Hall and Civic Offices
South Shields
NE33 2RL

If you feel that the Council has not handled your information correctly you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

The ICO is the Government's Independent Body responsible for overseeing data protection. In most cases the ICO will only review cases that have exhausted the Council's internal procedures.

The ICO's contact details are as follows: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF. More information can be found on the ICO's website at www.ico.org.uk.

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