Email Policy

Email Policy Summary

Your Parish Council provides individual email addresses to members and officers in compliance with data protection requirements.

These accounts are clearly identifiable Parish Council specific emails as they include the unique registered domain name bhw-pc.gov.uk*

Authorised users are provided with guidance to ensure procedures are consistent with UK General Data (GDPR) law and the Data Protection Act 2018. The accounts are solely for the transaction of Council business

As a data controller, the Council strives to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of all data it holds. We have Cabinet Office approval to manage our own gov.uk domain from 2024 onwards.

We rely on the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Society of Local Council Clerks and the National Association of Local Councils for advice on current best practice for administering our email system and maintaining its security. A detailed Email Policy Statement is appended and is also obtainable as a printed document on application to the Clerk.

*The Council holds the domain registration blackmore-hookend-wyattsgreen- pc.gov.uk but only utilises the abbreviated separately registered bhw-pc.gov.uk version for its web-based services.

Email Policy Statement (Incorporating Usage Guide)

As a data controller, the council has obligations relating to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all personal data it holds. The council is accountable for any council business conducted involving personal data on any device or through any email account.

The use of personal devices and email accounts may risk personal data being processed for different purposes from which it was originally collected. Members of the council should ensure they know their responsibilities in terms of only using personal data for the purposes which the council obtained it.

Email addresses are made available for councillors to maintain the confidentiality and security of documents. By having a separate email account solely for council affairs, correspondence and documents can be organised in an electronic environment detached from personal or commercial communications conducted through an individual’s own email.

The Clerk will use council issued email addresses by default when communicating with members.

Council accounts may only be used for council business.

Councillors should ensure this or a similarly worded ‘disclaimer’ notice is included with each sent email: Please note this email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressed individual or entity. If you have received this in error notify the Clerk to the Parish Council. No form of contract is valid unless confirmed in writing by the Clerk. Our Council does not use cookies, push data or analytics nor hold data without prior consent.

An important element of the notice is to acknowledge that when a councillor uses a Parish account the recipient may misconstrue it as an ‘official’ communication sent on behalf of the council. Councillors should be mindful that only the Clerk is legally empowered to make a commitment while acting on behalf of the whole council.

An individual’s account will be deleted when a member ceases to be a councillor.

Officers’ accounts continue in the possession of the person occupying the position following a change of employment.

It is recommended that users observe standard protocols to:

• ●  Keep emails brief and to the point using words that avoid misunderstandings.
• ●  Always use a heading, and use separate emails for anything not related to thatmatter.
• ●  When replying to ‘group’ emails, councillors should consider whether or not theyneed to ‘reply to all’ or just ‘reply’ to the sender.
• ●  Delete unnecessary emails after use.
• ●  Obtain the sender’s permission before sharing data with third parties.
• ●  Treat all documents as confidential until they are placed in the Public Domain.
• ●  Review stored data on a regular basis and delete when no longer applicable or out of date

  18th January 2024. Next review March 202521