Privacy Notice for Business Rates

Why we are collecting your data

Chelmsford City Council is a data controller. This means we need to collect your personal data so that we can carry out our statutory duty to bill, collect and enforce payment of Business Rates.  We will only collect the personal data from you that we need in order to do this.

Information collected

• Name
• Address
• Bank details (if you choose to pay by direct debit)
• Phone Number – you do not have to provide this, but it may make it easier to resolve any issues
• Email address – you will have to provide this if you wish to access your Business Rate account details online.  You may choose to provide this if you wish us to contact you by email  

The basis for the processing

We do this as a task carried out as a legal obligation. Business Rate billing, collection and enforcement processes are supported by legislation laid down by the Government.  

Who we share your information with

Your information will initially be administered by the Council’s Revenues Service.  However, we may share your information with other bodies.  

We have a public interest reason, which is supported by legislation, to share your data with HM Courts and Tribunals Service, Valuation Office Agency, Cabinet Office (National Fraud Initiative), Her Majesty’s Revenues and Customs, Vigilant Apps Limited, Mag:Net Solutions Limited, TransUnion, Rossendales Ltd or Jacobs Ltd for the purpose of preventing and detecting fraud and error or recovering unpaid Business Rates.  If you want to find information on how these companies process and protect your personal information, you need to view their individual Privacy Notices.

We will never sell your data. However, we may share some of your personal information with third parties to:

• pursue people or companies who owe us money. We may share your information with debt collection agencies.
• help business partners, suppliers and sub-contractors to deliver any contract we enter with them or you.
• help us if we are need additional professional or legal advice on a matter relating to you.
• help prevent fraud. We may share your information with credit reference agencies and other companies for use in credit decisions.  Credit agencies may record these searches, but that will not affect your credit standing.
• to improve and optimise the performance of our websites and social media accounts. Analytics and search engine providers that we use can collect your data when you interact with us online.  However, they will aggregate and anonymise the information, meaning we can’t identify any individual personally.
• work out if a grant we have spent was successful in achieving its aims. This could be funding from a Government or a grant from a local, regional or national organisation such as Sport England and National/Heritage Lottery Fund. However, they will aggregate and anonymise the information, meaning we can’t identify any individual personally.  

Providing accurate information 

We need to hold accurate and up to date information about you so that we can deliver appropriate services. If any of your details change, you need to tell us as soon as possible so that we can update your records.

We will not: 

• use your information for marketing or sales purposes without your prior explicit consent. 
• send or store your data abroad unless it meets the requirements of the Data Protection regulations.
• make decisions about you based on automated processing.   

How long will we hold your data for? 

We will keep all records relating to Business Rates for as long as you have an ongoing liability with us.  Even if you have moved away and do not owe us any money, we will keep details of the property or properties and dates for which you were liable for Business Rates.  This is in case there is a change to the rateable value of the property and we need to refund you money or charge you more.

Your rights 

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you.  Any access requests are free of charge.

If the information we hold about you is inaccurate, you have a right to have this corrected and you have the right to request completion of incomplete data.

You have the right to ask us to erase your personal data in certain circumstances (‘right to be forgotten’).

You have the right to ask us to stop or restrict the processing of your personal data, in certain circumstances.  Where possible, we will seek to comply with your request, but we may need to hold or process information to comply with a legal requirement.

You can make any of these requests by:

• Emailing ir@chelmsford.gov.uk
• Or sending a letter to:

Digital Services 
Chelmsford City Council
Civic Centre
Duke Street
Chelmsford
CM1 1JE

If you are dissatisfied with how we have used your personal information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at casework@ico.org.uk

Identity of Data Protection Officer 

Our designated Data Protection Officer is John Breen. 

You can contact him by emailing ir@chelmsford.gov.uk

Contact details 

Chelmsford City Council
Civic Centre
Duke Street
Chelmsford
CM1 1JE

Email: ir@chelmsford.gov.uk 

Telephone: 01245 606606