Democracy privacy policy

Wiltshire Council is the data controller for the personal information you provide to Democratic Services in respect of council, committee meetings, and democracy. The council's Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

In addition to our general privacy notice, which covers Wiltshire Council and your rights as a data subject, the following policy explains how Wiltshire Council will deal with your personal information when provided as part of the democratic process.

Wiltshire Council holds and processes personal data in accordance with all current legislation relating to data protection and complies with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016.

The Democratic Services team will process your personal information for the following purposes:

• licensing and regulatory activities
• corporate administration and all activities we are required to carry out as a public authority
• administering the decision making functions of the local authority under the Local Government Act
• administering school admission, transport, and exclusion appeals, and also rates relief appeals
• referring petitions to relevant council services
• HR and Payroll purposes for elected members
• fulfilling the requirements of the Localism Act

Your details will only be used by the council to deal with the issue about which you have contacted us. Your details will not be used for any purposes other than in connection with the democratic process, unless you have expressly given permission, otherwise or unless we are required or permitted to do so by law.

Wiltshire Council will process your personal data for the above purposes for no longer than necessary. Full details of our retention schedule may be found online.

Public participation at public meetings of the authority

Upon registering to speak at a public meeting of the authority (for example, Full Council, Cabinet and Committees) you consent to your name and a summary of your statement or question being included in the minutes of the meeting. The council captures these details as a record of the meeting, in accordance with The Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985. The minutes of meetings are published publicly, and kept indefinitely as a document which is in the public interest. 

Recording of online or face-to-face meetings

Some face-to-face council meetings are video streamed to improve openness, understanding, and accountability of local decision making. For meetings held solely online, for example during the Covid-19 pandemic, these are streamed live to the public to fulfil the legal obligation of the meeting being open and accessible. For all meetings streamed live, these are also available on demand, and they will likely contain a video recording of your attendance at meetings and a recording of your participation. Recordings of meetings are made available for public viewing for three months after the date of the meeting, and may be retained by the council indefinitely.

Notices about the recording of meetings are contained on our meeting agendas. By joining the meeting (either online or in person) you are consenting to being recorded, and to the use of those images and recordings for broadcasting and training. This policy is in accordance with the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014.

Please note, local authorities are required by law to allow any person or organisation to take photographs, film, and audio-recordings of the proceedings, and to report on all public meetings. Any such recordings are not the responsibility of Wiltshire Council.