How we use your information
We collect your information to help us undertake an assessment your business’ challenges and opportunities for growth, to enable us to provide free business support to applicants, to provide monitoring information to the funder and to contact you in respect of your application or about any related support which may assist your business.
In doing so, we may collect:
· Contact details (name/address/telephone number)
· Financial information about your business
· Information about staffing levels in your business
· Information about activities of your business
· Information about challenges your business is facing
· Information about your business’ sector
· Unique Tax Reference Number
· Company Number/Charities Commission number
· Age/Disability/Ethnicity/Gender of your Business’ Ownership
The personal information you provide will not be used for any other purpose unless required by law.
Length of time we keep your information
We will keep your personal information for 7 years from the date of form completion. For businesses who do not continue to engage with the support on offer, we will keep your information for no longer than 3 years from the date of form completion.
Sharing your information
In delivering the Talking Business support programme we are partnering with a number of contractors and external support providers who may assist us in delivering business support services, workshops and training.
So that the Council and our selected contractors and external support providers can provide you with an efficient service, we will need to share information between us. In respect of this project these contractors will act as the Data Processor in respect of your data, but the Council remains the Data Controller. This means our selected contractors and external support providers must return to the Council or destroy any copies of your data at the end of this support project.
We may occasionally also need to share your information with other partner organisations that support the delivery of the service you receive. This may include organisations who are contracted to the Council for management of payments.
Your information will be shared with Central Government upon request. The information will be used by the Government for monitoring and evaluation purposes, as well as for prevention and detection of fraud and/or other criminal activities. The Government may share information for the purpose of counter fraud activity and debt recovery with other government departments, agencies and/or local authorities.
Where information is shared, the Council has written agreements and protocols in place to ensure that your data is secure and protected to the same levels that the Council requires.
Your information will at all times be shared and stored in accordance with all relevant data protection requirements such as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Your data will not be shared or stored in or be accessible to any country with no UK-equivalent Privacy Law protection.
Individual rights
You have a number of rights under the General Data Protection Regulations and these are set out in detail in the Council’s main Privacy Notice on our website. To exercise these rights, please contact:
By email talkingbusiness@bexley.gov.uk
Or write to Economic Development and Skills Team, London Borough of Bexley, Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT
The Data Controller for your information
The Data Controller for the information you provide for this service is the London Borough of Bexley and the Data Protection Officer is Kevin Fox, Data Protection Officer, London Borough of Bexley, Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT.
You can contact the Data Protection Officer
By email to data.protection@bexley.gov.uk
Telephone 020 8303 7777
Or write to them at London Borough of Bexley, Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT
The right to lodge a complaint
If you are not happy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office to make a complaint. You can:
Telephone them on 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
Visit their website at www.ico.org.uk
Or write to them at Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF