Privacy Notice - Education - Free school meal & clothing grant

Privacy Notice

The personal information you provide in the Free School Meal & Clothing Grant  Application Form (“Personal Information”) will be processed by East Dunbartonshire Council 12 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch, G66 1TJ (the “Council”).

You can contact the Council on:

0300 123 4510

customerservices@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Why will the Personal Information be processed

The Personal Information will be used to assess and determine eligibility for free school meals and/or a school clothing grant. If deemed eligible, the Personal Information will be used to process the application, and

  1. arrange for payment of the school clothing grant; and/or
  2. allocate free school meals

Who will have access to the Personal Information?

The Personal Information will be shared with other departments within East Dunbartonshire Council and other organisations for these purposes and also to:
•    check the information we hold is accurate; 
•    prevent and / or detect crime; and 
•    protect public funds.  
Other organisations may include the school/college where the child to whom the grant and/or free school meals is to be provided, attends, bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, other councils, public sector agencies, governmental departments, regulatory and law enforcement bodies and other private companies or entities (such as service providers/contractors to the Council and/or partner bodies.)
The Council will also generally comply with requests for specific information from other regulatory and law enforcement bodies where this is necessary and appropriate.
Set out below are some examples of who the Council share the Personal Information with and why:
Example 1:
The Council’s accounts are required to be audited by the Accounts Commission. The Personal Information may be shared with the Accounts Commission or any auditors they appoint as part of the audit under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
Example 2: 
The Council use a computerised system called SEEMIS to hold and process educational data. The Personal Information will be uploaded and held on the SEEMIS system and the fact free school meals and/or a clothing grant has been applied for will be recorded.

Example 3: 
The personal information may be shared with the school or college which the child attends to ensure the correct individual receives the free school meals they are entitled to. 

What is the Council’s lawful basis for processing the Personal Information?

The use of the Personal Information is necessary:

•     for the Council to comply with its legal obligations under the following legislation-
•    the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (section 53 and 54 in respect of Free School Meals and School Clothing Grant); and
•    The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (to ensure proper administration of the Council’s financial affairs (including the detection and/or prevention of fraud) (and providing such information as necessary to the Accounts Commission);

Do I have to provide the Personal Information?

You do not have to provide the Personal Information to the Council. Without the correct information however the Council will not be able to process the application and the child concerned may not receive the School Clothing Grant and/or Free School Meals.

How long will you keep the Personal Information?

The Council uses the Scottish Council on Archives Records Retention Schedules to manage the amount of time the Council keeps information.

If you are searching SCARRS, the Reference which covers the Personal Information for the Clothing Grants and Free School Meals is 10.002.020.

We will hold the Personal Information from the end of the relevant school year for which the application has been made, for a period of 1 year. The Personal Information will be retained for the minimum period necessary.  The Personal Information will then be destroyed after this period.

What are my rights?

•    Right of Access
You have the right to access the personal information the Council holds about you. This right is called a Subject Access Request, often referred to as a SAR. 
You can receive a copy of the personal data held by the Council, details on why it is being used, who it has been/ will be shared with, how long it will be held for, the source of the information and if the Council uses computer systems profile or take decisions about you. Details on how to submit a Subject Access Request.

•    Right to rectification
You have the right to request the Council correct any information held about you that is inaccurate. 

•    Right to erasure
You have the right to request that the Council delete the personal information about you. This right is known as the right to be forgotten.

•    Right to restrict processing
You have the right to request that the Council stops using your personal information, while retaining a copy of it

Who do I contact if I have any concerns and / or complaints?

You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office should you be unhappy with the way the Council has processed the Personal Information. Details on how to report a concern.

ICO Head Office Address:  Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113

Regional Scottish Office Address: 45 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL

Tel: 0303 123 1115

Should you have any questions or concerns about our handling of the Personal Information you can also contact Our Data Protection Officer:

Karen Donnelly
Data Protection Officer
East Dunbartonshire Council
12 Strathkelvin Place
Kirkintilloch
G66 1TJ

Tel: 0300 123 4510
Email: DPO@eastdunbarton.gov.uk