Privacy Policy

Privacy Notice

This privacy notice describes how and when we collect, use, and share your information.

What is personal information?

‘Personal Information’ is information that identifies a living person.    This can include information that could identify a person when matched with other information, for example – name and contact details.

What information do we collect?

If you register or subscribe with LCS, we will collect the following personal information about you;

• Name
• Job Title
• Organisation
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address

What do we use the information for?

We will use your information to;

• Process your application
• Register and give you an account to access our secure portal
• Create, maintain and share a contact list
• Complete the LCS Model Contract 2018 – Specification 1a or 1b (Service & Price)
• Facilitate sharing of information between subscribing Local Authorities and registered Providers for purposes of matching or making placements
• Support commissioning of services
• Explore prior and current costs trends
• Contact you from time to time for the purpose of delivering the service
• Provide support to you

Why can we use the information?

For us to keep and process your personal information there are certain conditions that apply.   The legal reasons for using your personal information is:

• Article 6 EU GDPR ‘Lawfulness of Processing’ – 1 (e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Who do we share your information with?

For the purposes described above; 

• If you are a subscribing local authority, your information will be shared with other subscribing local authorities, members of the LCS team and registered providers.
• If you are a registered provider, your information will be shared with subscribing local authorities and members of LCS team.
• If you are a non-subscribing local authority or provider wishing to register a service, your information will be shared with members of the LCS team.  Providers information may also be shared with subscribing local authorities.

We will never pass your personal data onto third parties without your consent.

How do we protect your information?

The information security measures we have put in place to help us protect your personal information include:

• Training staff in their data protection responsibilities
• Developing procedures to ensure we meet our legal requirements under data protection law
• Putting processes in place to ensure good information governance practices
• Information will not be held for longer than is required and will be disposed of securely.
• We encrypt all our electronic devices and sensitive information that is transmitted is encrypted
• We do not share your information outside the EU
• Third parties are under a duty of confidentiality and are obliged to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of data and comply with data protection legislation

How long do we keep your information for?

Approved Providers

If you are an approved provider, we will keep and store all emails, letters, and schedules while you are registered.   Accounts, Insurance policies, Statements of Purpose and Ofsted Certificates will also be kept, but in the case where a document supersedes another, the old copy will be deleted.

If you de-register, we will keep documentation for 5 years after which time we will delete it.

If your LCS account is not logged into for 6 months, we will delete your user profile.  

Applications not submitted or unsuccessful

If you complete an application form but do not submit it, we will automatically delete it after 60 days.   The 60-day timeframe starts from when you initiate your application and does not take into account any editing dates.

Any application form that is submitted but unsuccessful will be deleted after 30 days. 

Registration Unsuccessful

If your registration is unsuccessful following activity carried out by email and telephone calls to enable an agreement on the resources/s to be registered and fees, we will automatically delete your application form, documentation and all correspondence after 30 days. 

Local Authorities

If you are a subscribing local authority member, we will regularly review and remove any dormant accounts on LCS portal.   We will keep any emails that support either the procurement commissioning of services or prior and current costs trends for 5 years.  We will make a decision about how long to keep all other information, taking into consideration what it is used for and whether there is a legitimate or business reason for us to do so.

If you are a Borough Officer and your LCS account is not logged into for 3 months, we will delete your user profile.  If you are a Lead Officer and your LCS account is not logged into for 6 months, we will delete your user profile.

Decisions about how long to keep information are recorded in our retention schedules.

How you can manage your own information?

We want to make sure that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and up to date.  If anything is inaccurate, or you object to processing you have the right to ask us to change it.

You also have a right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you.  If you would like a copy of some or all of your personal information, please email us at dataprotection@londoncouncils.gov.uk

Who is responsible for your information?

London Councils is responsible for making sure your personal information is managed properly.  London Councils has appointed a Data Protection Officer to advise and monitor how personal data is managed.  If you have any questions or a complaint about the way London Councils uses your information, please email us at dataprotection@londoncouncils.gov.uk or write to us at our postal address 

Further information & Complaints

If you are not happy with the way we manage or have managed your personal data, you can raise a complaint with the information Commissioner’s Office