Portsmouth City Council ("the Council", "we", "us") is the data controller for the personal information described in this notice. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) (Registration Number Z5578313).
This privacy notice explains how Portsmouth City Council collects, uses, shares, stores and protects personal information relating to youth and community support services.
Who we are and how to contact us
Data Controller: Portsmouth City Council (Registration Number Z5578313)
Address: Civic Offices, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
Data Protection Officer Email: DataProtection@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Telephone: 023 9282 2251
If you have questions about this notice or want to exercise your data protection rights, contact the Data Protection Officer using the details above.
Who this notice applies to
This notice applies to:
- Children and young people accessing our services
- Parents, carers and guardians
- Customers participating in activities, events and trips
- Participants in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme
- Families receiving support through our services
The personal information we collect
We may collect:
- Name, address and date of birth
- Contact details, including telephone numbers and email addresses
- Photographs, images and video recordings
- Emergency contact and next of kin information
- Records of correspondence, emails, letters and telephone calls
- Information relating to participation in activities, events and programmes
- Payment information relating to trips and chargeable activities
We may also collect information relating to:
- Family and household circumstances
- Physical and mental health
- Disabilities and support requirements
- Financial circumstances where relevant
- Housing and social care needs
- Information provided by professionals, agencies or organisations involved in supporting you
Special Category Data
Some services process special category personal data, including health information, disabilities and support needs. We only process this information where the law allows and with appropriate safeguards in place.
Where we get your information from
We obtain information:
- Directly from you, your parent, guardian or carer
- Through registration forms, applications and consent forms
- From other Council services
- From schools and educational providers where appropriate
- From health, social care and support services where lawful and necessary
- From organisations working in partnership with the Council
How we use your information and our lawful bases
We use personal information to:
- Deliver community and youth services
- Facilitate activities, events and trips
- Manage participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme
- Contact parents, carers or guardians when necessary
- Contact emergency contacts where required
- Provide appropriate support to children, young people and families
- Manage behaviour and safety within services
- Process payments for activities and trips
- Work with partner agencies to support service users
- Support service planning, monitoring and development
- Document examples of good practice for education and training purposes
- Promote services using photographs, videos and case studies where appropriate permissions have been obtained
Use of Photographs and Images
Photographs and images may be collected:
- As a historical record of activities and services
- For educational and training purposes
- To promote Council services, activities and achievements
- To recognise participation and achievements within programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme
Where consent is required for photography or promotional use, this will be obtained separately.
Lawful Bases under UK GDPR
Most youth and community service activities are carried out under the lawful bases of:
- Public task
- Legal obligation
- Consent (where required, such as certain photography and promotional activities)
Special Category Data (Article 9 UK GDPR)
Where special category information is processed, the Council relies on conditions including:
- Substantial public interest
- Safeguarding of children and young people
- Health or social care purposes
- Social protection functions
Who we share your information with
We may share information where necessary and lawful with:
- Other Council services
- Schools, colleges and educational providers
- Social care services
- Health services and healthcare professionals
- Housing providers
- Police and safeguarding partners
- Organisations delivering activities or support on our behalf
- Duke of Edinburgh Award partners and associated organisations
- Family members, carers or guardians where appropriate
Information may also be shared where necessary:
- To safeguard children or vulnerable individuals
- To provide support services
- To prevent or detect crime or fraud
- To protect someone from serious harm
- To meet legal and statutory obligations
We will only share information necessary for the organisation to provide services, support or carry out its statutory responsibilities.
We do not share personal information for third-party marketing purposes.
CCTV and Body Worn Cameras
Some Council buildings and activity locations may operate CCTV systems and body worn cameras.
These systems are used to help maintain safety and security, investigate incidents, protect service users and employees, and prevent and detect crime.
CCTV and body worn camera recordings that are stored and catalogued may be accessed through a Subject Access Request.
Access may be restricted where recordings contain other identifiable individuals or where disclosure would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime or where another legal exemption applies.
How long we keep your information
Personal information is only kept for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and in accordance with the Council's corporate retention schedule.
Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected.
Further information can be found in the Council's corporate retention schedule.
How we keep your information secure
Technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal information, including:
- Access controls and permissions
- Staff training and awareness
- Secure storage and IT systems
- Regular monitoring and validation processes
- Information security and data protection policies
- Contractual controls with suppliers, contractors and partner organisations
Anyone processing personal information on behalf of Portsmouth City Council is required to do so securely and only for authorised purposes.
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you may have the right to:
- Access your personal information (Subject Access Request)
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request erasure in limited circumstances
- Request restriction of processing
- Object to processing in certain circumstances
- Request data portability in limited circumstances
- Exercise rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling
Right to object
You have the right to object to processing carried out under public task or legitimate interests in certain circumstances. Requests can be made by contacting the Data Protection Officer.
How to exercise your rights
You have the right to know whether Portsmouth City Council holds personal information about you.
Requests can be made by contacting the Data Protection Officer or by visiting the Council's subject access request and Freedom of Information pages.
You will usually be entitled to access your personal information, although access may be restricted where information relates to other individuals or where a legal exemption applies.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been used, please contact the Data Protection Officer in the first instance.
If you remain dissatisfied, you may complain to:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Links to other websites
The Council's website may contain links to other websites. This privacy notice does not cover those websites. Please read the privacy notices published on any external sites you visit.
Changes to this privacy notice
This privacy notice was last reviewed on 11 August 2025.