Issue - meetings

The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services submitted a report updating the Committee on the implementation of the Council’s Data Protection Action Plan.  The report invited the Committee to comment on progress to date.

Members were advised that specific actions this year would focus on the application of the document retention and disposal policies of the Authority.  The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services stated that Council IT systems were designed to store information safely and securely and by their very nature were not always good at deleting information that no longer needed to be retained.

He further advised that the Bob’s Business computed based training helped Officers and Members understand their obligations regarding Data Protection.  Members were advised that all breaches were reported to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and were rapidly addressed by Officers.

The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services referred to the digitisation of services such as the recent new software being used by Development Management.  He referred to the importance of having organised data storage that also covered the retention of information contained in e-mails.

Officers responded to a number of Members’ queries regarding information requests lodged under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.  The Committee received the report.

RESOLVED – that the actions and developments in regard to data protection compliance be noted.