Blue Badge privacy notice

Coventry City Council complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as a Data Controller.

This Privacy Notice explains how personal information is going to be used, what for, who it will be shared with and why.

Why we need your information

We collect and hold personal information relating to applications made for the award of a Blue Badge. 

We will use this information to:

• Assess your entitlement to a Blue Badge
• Ensure if the decision is to award a Blue Badge that the Blue Badge Holder’s personal details on the badge are accurate
• Complete statistical returns to Government departments
• Answer any appropriate questions relating to your application or use of a Blue Badge
• Investigate any instances where a Blue Badge is allegedly being misused.
• To create a secure record of your application on our Case Management System (CMS). Any paper applications will be transferred to an electronic record and then be destroyed after 6 weeks.

Under data protection legislation, we must ensure that we have an adequate reason or legal grounds to support the use of your personal information. The legal grounds we use to determine that the processing of personal information is necessary, is to enable us to fulfil a ‘legal obligation’.

We process personal data because it is necessary to comply with the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000 and Disabled Persons' Parking Badges Act 2013. 
Complying with these regulations ensures that decisions to award Blue Badges consider all the relevant information and circumstances relating to an applicant’s mobility.

Complying with these regulations ensures that decisions to award Blue Badges consider all the relevant information and circumstances relating to an applicant’s mobility.

Information we collect about you

We collect personal information that may include:

• The applicant’s name, current and previous addresses, sex, date of birth and contact details, town and country of birth
• Unique identifiers such as national insurance number, child registration number, photograph and signature
• Paper and online application forms and documentary evidence: Proof of identity and proof of address
• Vehicle registration number (if applicable)
• Previous Blue Badge details (if applicable)
• Details of any person with legal responsibility for you.
• Any other personal information that you may supply in your supporting documentation.
• Details of any person reported as allegedly misusing a Blue Badge:
  • Name
  • Address
  • Vehicle registration
  • Blue Badge number
  • Details of when and when they are parking with the Blue Badge
  • Any other relevant details to the misuse of the Blue Badge

We will also collect the following special category data:

• Photograph
• Details about your disability, health or long-term condition, pain medication and
• assessment of your walking ability.
• Evidence to support your eligibility for a Blue Badge (e.g. Certificate of Visual Impairment, evidence of entitlement to benefits or allowances you receive relating to your personal needs)

Who we share your information with

We will share data with:

• The Occupational Therapy Team- to assess your needs in order to provide you with a Blue Badge
• NEC Software solutions Ltd - to administer your Blue Badge
• Valtech - to print and supply your Blue Badge
• Parking Enforcement Officers - to detect any misuse of Blue Badges or any parking infringements that may occur.
• Other local authorities - When you need to transfer your Blue Badge
• The Cabinet Office (who are a government department), for the purposes of a data matching exercise called the National Fraud Initiative. The purpose of the exercise is to detect fraud and error. The Council is legally required to participate in this exercise. More information on the National Fraud Initiative.

How long will we keep your information? 

We will only keep your information for as long as we need to. The time can be different depending on the service you have asked for. If your application is successful we will hold your information for the lifetime of your Blue Badge which is up to 3 years. This is covered under the Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges Act 2013.

If your application is unsuccessful we will hold your information for a year to enable you to make representations regarding your application and the decision not to award a badge.

Your rights

You have the right to:

1. Ask to see the information we hold about you
2. Ask us to change your information if it is wrong
3. Ask us to delete the information we hold about you
4. Ask us to limit the way we use your information

To exercise any of these rights please contact the Blue Badge Team, Coventry City Council, PO Box 7097, Coventry, CV6 9SL or email bluebadge@coventry.gov.uk

Complaints

You have the right to submit a complaint if you are unhappy with the way your request is handled or disagree with a decision made by the council regarding your data. In these circumstances, you can contact the Data Protection Team (DPO) and request a review of the decision. dpoteam@coventry.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with any outcome from the DPO you may wish to apply to the Information Commissioner's Office at:

The Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.

Date of last review: March 2021