Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains how Garstang Town Council collects, uses and protects personal data when you use this website, garstangtowncouncil.gov.uk.
Garstang Town Council is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal data in a transparent and responsible way.
Who We Are
Garstang Town Council is the data controller for personal data collected through this website where it determines how and why that information is processed.
If you need to contact Garstang Town Council about this privacy policy or about how your personal data is used, please use the contact details published on this website or visit the contact page.
What Information We May Collect
Depending on how you use this website, we may collect and process the following personal data:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your telephone number, if you choose to provide it
- The contents of any enquiry or message you send to us
- Technical information associated with website requests, such as IP addresses, browser information and pages requested
- Technical and security-related information used to help protect website forms and services from spam and abuse
- Website usage information collected through optional analytics tools, where you have accepted the relevant cookies or technologies
- Website performance and aggregate usage information collected through services that do not use optional cookies
- Your cookie and consent preferences
- Technical information generated when third-party content is loaded, including information services such as maps, planning information, public transport timetables and other embedded content
How We Collect Information
We may collect information when:
- You complete and submit a contact form on this website
- You contact us directly by email
- You browse this website and its pages or use public information services provided through it
- You accept optional cookies or choose to load optional embedded third-party content
- You interact with website security tools used to help prevent spam or misuse
How We Use Personal Data
We use personal data for the following purposes:
- To respond to enquiries and correspondence
- To deal with matters relating to the work and functions of Garstang Town Council
- To provide website content, public information and services
- To maintain the security and integrity of the website and its contact forms
- To understand website performance and usage, including through optional analytics where you have given the relevant consent
- To provide embedded third-party content where that content is available on the website and any required consent has been obtained
Our Lawful Basis For Processing
We process personal data under one or more of the following lawful bases, depending on the purpose:
- Public task - where processing is necessary for Garstang Town Council to carry out its official functions and duties in the public interest
- Legal obligation - where processing is necessary to comply with legal or governance requirements
- Consent - where consent is required and you choose to accept optional cookies, analytics or third-party content
Contact Forms And Email Enquiries
If you contact Garstang Town Council using a website form or by email, the information you provide will be used to deal with your enquiry and any related matters.
Website form submissions are sent by email to the Clerk or the appropriate council contact. They are not intended to be stored on the website any longer than necessary to send the message securely.
Form Security And Spam Protection
This website uses Google reCAPTCHA v3 to help protect forms from spam, misuse and automated abuse.
reCAPTCHA may analyse technical, device and interaction data in order to determine whether a submission is made by a human user or by an automated system. This is used as a security measure to help protect the website and its contact forms.
Analytics And Website Performance
This website may use analytics and performance measurement services to help understand website traffic, page usage and technical performance.
Analytics tools that require optional cookies or similar technologies are only used where you have chosen to allow them through the website's Cookie Settings.
Some website performance and usage measurements may also be collected without setting optional cookies or using browser storage, including when optional cookies have been rejected. These services may process technical information or produce aggregated statistics to help improve the website.
Third-Party Content And Services
Some pages on this website may include third-party content or services, such as maps, videos, weather information, planning information, public transport timetables or other embedded content.
Some services load only where you have accepted the relevant optional cookies or settings. Other informational services may load automatically where they do not use technologies requiring consent.
When a third-party service loads, your browser may connect directly to its provider. That provider may receive technical information, including your IP address, browser and device information and details of the page being visited. Providers may use this information to deliver their services, maintain security and support their operation, subject to their own privacy practices.
Google Fonts
This website may use Google Fonts to display text consistently and clearly across different devices and browsers.
When Google Fonts are loaded, your browser may connect to Google's servers in order to retrieve font files and related resources.
Who We May Share Data With
We may share personal data, where necessary, with trusted service providers or organisations involved in delivering or supporting this website and related council services. This may include:
- Email service providers
- Website hosting, security, performance measurement and technical support providers
- Google, where Google services such as reCAPTCHA, Google Fonts or optional analytics are used
- Providers of third-party information and embedded services, including public information feeds, maps, videos and other content available on relevant pages
We do not sell personal data to third parties.
How Long We Keep Information
Personal data is kept only for as long as necessary for the relevant purpose, or for as long as required to meet legal, administrative or records management obligations.
Enquiry emails and related records may be retained in line with the council's records management practices and legal responsibilities.
Cookie preferences, security information and analytics-related data may be retained in accordance with the settings and retention controls of the relevant systems used on the website. Third-party service providers may have their own retention periods for information they process.
International Transfers
Some of the third-party services used on this website may process data outside the UK.
Where this happens, appropriate safeguards are required for international data transfers in line with applicable data protection law.
Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:
- Be informed about how your personal data is used
- Request access to the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
- Request erasure of personal data, where applicable
- Request restriction of processing, where applicable
- Object to processing, where applicable
- Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
To exercise any of your rights, please use the contact details published on this website or visit the contact page.
Cookies And Similar Technologies
This website uses cookies and similar technologies to support essential functions, remember cookie choices, measure website usage where the relevant consent has been given, and load optional third-party content where applicable. Some other website services may operate without optional cookies.
You can manage or change your choices at any time using the website's Cookie Settings.
More detailed information about the cookies and similar technologies used on this website can be found in our Cookie Policy.
Changes To This Privacy Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, website functionality or council practices.
Any updates will be published on this page.