Requesting personal information - Print version

Access to your personal information

You have a right to ask for personal information we hold about you. This is commonly known as a Subject Access Request (SAR). A SAR gives you the right to be given a copy or summary of information about you. The following details will help you ask for information Coventry City Council holds about you.

What is personal information?

Personal information can be described as any information about you that can identify you, for example your name, address or telephone number. It can also be the type of job you do, the things you buy, an email address, a photo and the place you went to school or the services that we provide to you. It can also be held in different ways, for example electronically or on paper.

Applying for information/record(s)

To make it easier for you as the applicant and for Coventry City Council to identify a request for personal information, we have provided the following form for you to fill in and include all the details we may require so that we can locate the information you are asking for.

Data Protection Law says we must confirm the identity of the requester, to ensure that we only give personal information to those who have a legal right to receive it. Therefore we will need to see proof of identification and residency and will require one document from each list. A clear full colour copy from each of the lists below should be provided.

Personal Identity Documents List 1

• Current signed passport
• Current full driving licence (paper or photocard)
• Birth certificate
• Adoption certificate
• Marriage certificate

Residence Identity Documents List 2

• Gas, Electricity or Water Bill (dated within the last 6 months for your current address)
• BT/Cable Fixed Line Telephone Bill (dated within last 6 months for your current address)
• Council Tax Statement/Payment Book (dated for current year)
• Current bank or building society statement (dated within last 6 months and showing your present address)

Please note: We cannot accept provisional driving licences or mobile phone bills as identification.

If you are seeking information relating to a child under the age of 13, we will also need to have a copy of their full birth certificate or some other form of evidence to confirm parental responsibility. 

Request personal information

• Subject Access request online form [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/sarform]
• Subject Access Request downloadable form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/21602/subject-access-request-form]

Road traffic accidents or insurance claims - CCTV requests

If you require any footage to support a dispute or claim in relation to a road traffic accident or an insurance claim as a result of a theft or damage, then we would advise you to inform your insurance company or legal representative without delay that cameras were or may have been in the relevant location of the accident or incident.  To assist, read the full list of Council operated cameras [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cctv]. 

Requests can only be made by your insurance company or legal representative under an appropriate legal process in order to support or defend the claim or dispute. These are not considered subject access requests under the right to access in these circumstances and any such requests must follow the appropriate lawful basis. Please arrange for your Insurance Company or legal representative to complete the relevant Third Party CCTV requests form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/thirdpartycctv]

Individual requests for CCTV (not to be used for road traffic incidents, thefts or damage to vehicles)

Members of the public can request footage of themselves only and this would be handled as a Subject Access Request. Under the Data Protection Act we cannot release footage of other individuals, third parties or images that would lead to the identification of others, as this would be classed as their personal data and not suitable for release.

All requests for access to records should be addressed to the Information Governance Team at the address below.

• Personal CCTV Subject Access Request Form  (downloadable form) 
• Personal CCTV Subject Access Request Form (online form)  [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/personalcctvrequest]

NB. Please note that in all cases CCTV is only ever retained for a maximum of 30 days, after which time it is automatically overwritten.  We are also only able to provide still images by way of disclosure.

Please note: Your personal details and information may not be secure using email and we would suggest using our secure online form above.

If I want my details, what should I include in the request?

Include as much detail as possible. If you are looking for any particular information, it helps if you make this clear. Asking for 'everything you hold' could mean that your request is delayed whilst we ask you to provide more detail. 

Can I request information on behalf of someone else?

Yes you can, but you will need to provide either the written and signed consent of that person or where that is not possible, evidence of your authority to act, such as a Power of Attorney document.

What happens after I make the request?

After the Information Governance Team receive your request, it will be checked to see if your request is clear enough. If this is not the case, you will be contacted by the team to ask for more detail. The processing of your request will be delayed until you reply.

How long will it take to get my records?

• The regulations require the Council to provide you with a copy of your information within one month of receiving your valid request. However if your request is complex we are allowed to extend this by two months and we will tell you if this is the case. 
• If you apply to another organisation for access to your records they may have different timescales in which to give you the information

Why has some information been blocked out?

There are several reasons why some information may be blocked out (redacted), for example it may refer to someone other than yourself: so this will not be part of your personal information. 

Why have you not given me any information?

There are rare occasions when we do not have the personal information you ask for. This could be for a number of reasons, for example no information about you could be found - because the records are no longer held. If we do not have the information we will let you know. 

How will you get the information to me?

We will send your information to you electronically (emails will be encrypted and you will be required to contact the IG office for your password or upon request the password will be sent via email to the same email address only). 

In *exceptional circumstances it may be possible to arrange an alternative method of providing your information however, this will be subject to the volume of your information and any outside circumstances beyond our control. 

*Important – if you wish us to post the information, we will take every care to ensure that it is addressed correctly and will be sent by Recorded Delivery. However we cannot be held liable if the information is lost in the post or incorrectly delivered or opened by someone else in your household. Loss or incorrect delivery may cause you embarrassment or harm if the information is ‘sensitive’.

What if I want information about the Council that is not personal information?

Requests for all other types of information, which is not personal information, is dealt with under the provision of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/248/freedom_of_information_and_environmental_information_regulations/469/freedom_of_information_act_2000]

The Information Commissioner [https://ico.org.uk/] is the independent regulatory body who is responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations. The Commissioner offers a range of publications about your rights, as well as advice and assistance.

How to report a data breach

To report a data breach, please email us at dpoteam@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:dpoteam@coventry.gov.uk] or write to Information Governance, Coventry City Council, PO Box 7097, Coventry,CV6 9SL.