What are cookies?
Cookies are a specific technology that store information between website visits.
Cookies are small pieces of information, normally consisting of just letters and numbers, which online services provide when users visit them. Software on the user’s device (for example a web browser) can store cookies and send them back to the website next time they visit.
Cookies can be useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.
How we use cookies
Portsmouth City Council uses cookies and similar technologies to help our website work properly, understand how visitors use our services and enable embedded content such as videos.
When you visit our website, you can manage your cookie preferences using Cookie Preferences in the website footer. This allows you to choose which optional cookies you want to allow.
Cookie Preferences provides the most up-to-date information about the cookies and services used on our website, including what they do, how long they remain active and what information they collect.
Necessary cookies
Necessary cookies are required for the website to function correctly. These cookies cannot be switched off because they enable core website functionality, help protect the website from security threats and remember your cookie preferences.
The website uses:
- Website functionality cookies that support the operation of the website.
- Klaro! Consent Manager, which stores your cookie preferences so that we remember your choices when you return to the website.
- botbuster_token, which is used to help distinguish genuine users from automated scripts and malicious bots. This cookie supports the security and protection of our website and associated network infrastructure.
You can disable cookies through your browser settings, but doing so may affect how the website functions.
Optional cookies
Optional cookies help us understand how people use our website and enable certain types of external content.
You can update your preferences at any time by selecting Cookie Preferences in the website footer.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website so that we can improve our services and content.
Google Analytics processes anonymised information about:
- pages visited
- time spent on pages
- how visitors arrived at the website
- interactions with website content
We do not use Google Analytics to identify individual visitors.
Embedded external content
Some pages include content provided by third-party services, including YouTube and Vimeo.
These services may set cookies or collect information about your interaction with embedded content. Embedded content will only be enabled if you choose to accept this category of cookies.
Viewing detailed cookie information
To view the latest information about the cookies and services currently used on our website, including their purpose, duration and the information they collect, open Cookie Preferences from the website footer.
How do I change my cookie settings?
You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by selecting Cookie Preferences in the website footer.
Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings.
Find out how to manage cookies on popular browsers:
You can also opt out of tracking by Google Analytics across all websites.