Privacy Notice
About this privacy notice
This privacy notice explains how Shildon Civic Hall and Shildon Town Council collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you:
- visit this website
- contact the Civic Hall
- make an enquiry or booking
- hire a room or facility
- attend an event
- use the restaurant, bar or catering services
- correspond with Civic Hall or Town Council staff
This notice applies specifically to Shildon Civic Hall and its website. Separate privacy notices may apply to matters such as employment, CCTV, safeguarding and other Shildon Town Council services.
Who we are
Shildon Civic Hall is operated by Shildon Town Council.
Shildon Town Council is the data controller responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.
Contact details
Shildon Town Council
Council Offices
Civic Hall Square
Shildon
County Durham
DL4 1AH
Email: council@shildon.gov.uk
Telephone: 01388 772563
For enquiries specifically relating to Shildon Civic Hall:
Email: civichall@shildon.gov.uk
Telephone: 01388 772902
The Civic Hall’s published contact details and website form are available on its Contact Us page.
Information we may collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
- your name and title
- your postal address
- your telephone number
- your email address
- the organisation or group you represent
- details of your enquiry
- details of an event, function, wedding or room booking
- dates, times, attendance numbers and catering requirements
- payment, invoice and transaction information
- correspondence between you and Civic Hall staff
- complaints, feedback and incident information
- accessibility requirements
- dietary requirements or allergy information
- photographs or recordings where appropriate permission has been obtained
- technical information produced when you use the website, such as IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited and the date and time of your visit
Please do not include unnecessary sensitive personal information in the website contact form.
How we collect your information
We normally receive information directly from you when you:
- complete the website contact form
- telephone or email us
- visit the Civic Hall
- request information
- make or discuss a booking
- pay for services
- submit feedback or make a complaint
- provide information to an event organiser or representative acting on your behalf
We may occasionally receive information from another person where they are arranging a booking, event or service on your behalf.
Why we use your information
Enquiries and correspondence
We use your name, contact information and message to answer enquiries and provide requested information.
Our lawful basis will normally be:
- taking steps at your request before entering into a contract
- performing a contract
- carrying out the Council’s public functions
- our legitimate interests in administering the Civic Hall, where appropriate
Bookings and venue hire
We use booking and contact information to:
- prepare quotations
- reserve rooms and facilities
- administer weddings, functions and events
- arrange catering and entertainment
- issue invoices
- collect payments
- communicate changes
- manage cancellations and refunds
Our lawful basis is normally that the processing is necessary to take steps before entering into a contract or to perform a contract with you.
Restaurant, catering and dietary requirements
We may process information about dietary requirements, food allergies, health or accessibility needs where this is necessary to provide a service safely.
Health and allergy information may be special category personal data. Where required, we will process this information with your explicit consent or under another appropriate legal condition.
We only request information that is relevant to the service being provided.
Financial and accounting records
We use payment and transaction information to:
- issue and process invoices
- record payments
- provide refunds
- maintain accounting records
- meet audit, tax and financial obligations
- prevent and investigate fraud
Our lawful basis is performance of a contract and compliance with legal obligations.
Events, safety and incidents
We may process personal information to manage:
- health and safety
- accidents and incidents
- insurance matters
- emergency situations
- safeguarding concerns
- crime prevention and investigation
- legal claims
The lawful basis may be legal obligation, public task, recognised legitimate interest, legitimate interest or vital interests, depending on the circumstances.
Photographs and publicity
We may take or publish photographs from events where there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so.
Where an individual is the main subject of a photograph, or where the photograph is being used for promotional purposes, we will normally ask for consent.
You may withdraw consent for future use by contacting us. Withdrawal does not affect any lawful use that took place before consent was withdrawn.
Marketing
We will not add you to a mailing list or use your details for electronic marketing unless you have actively agreed to receive it or another lawful exception applies.
You can unsubscribe or withdraw your consent at any time.
Website contact form
The website contact form currently asks for:
- first name
- surname
- telephone number
- email address
- type of enquiry
- your message
The information is used to respond to your enquiry and, where relevant, take steps towards a booking.
The website may send a copy of the form submission to authorised Civic Hall staff and may temporarily store the submission within the website system for delivery, security and administrative purposes.
Cookies and website information
Cookies are small files placed on your device when you visit a website.
This website may use strictly necessary cookies for purposes such as:
- website security
- operating forms
- remembering cookie preferences
- preventing spam
- maintaining administrative sessions
Where analytics, advertising, social-media or other non-essential cookies are used, they will only be activated where the required permission has been obtained.
Visitors must be told what cookies are used and what they do. Non-essential cookies generally require a valid choice before they are activated.
A separate Cookie Policy or cookie settings panel should provide the current cookie names, providers, purposes and expiry periods.
Website logs and security
Our website and hosting systems may record technical information, including:
- IP addresses
- requested pages
- browser and device information
- date and time of requests
- error messages
- suspected malicious activity
This information is used to maintain security, diagnose technical problems, prevent abuse and ensure the website operates correctly.
Who we may share information with
We only share personal information where there is a lawful and necessary reason.
Information may be shared with:
- authorised Shildon Civic Hall staff
- authorised Shildon Town Council officers
- website hosting and maintenance providers
- email and IT service providers
- banks and payment providers
- accountants, auditors and insurers
- catering, entertainment or event contractors where necessary
- legal advisers
- emergency services
- law-enforcement agencies
- regulators and government bodies
- other organisations where disclosure is required by law
Suppliers processing information on our behalf must handle it securely and only in accordance with our instructions.
We do not sell personal information.
Website hosting
The website is created and hosted by Parish Web & Host on behalf of Shildon Town Council.
Website and support providers may process limited personal information where necessary to:
- maintain the website
- operate the contact form
- investigate faults
- provide backups
- protect the website from security threats
Access is limited to what is necessary to provide those services.
International transfers
We aim to use services that store personal information within the United Kingdom or another jurisdiction offering appropriate protection.
Where a supplier processes information outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism and safeguards are in place.
Third-party websites such as Facebook have their own privacy notices and may process information outside the United Kingdom.
How long we keep information
We keep information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected and in accordance with Shildon Town Council’s Document Retention and Disposal Policy.
As a general guide:
- general enquiries that do not lead to a booking will normally be deleted within 12 months of the enquiry being closed
- booking agreements, significant correspondence and contractual records will normally be retained for up to six years after the event or contract ends
- invoices and financial records will normally be retained for at least six years, in accordance with financial and accounting requirements
- complaints and incident records will be retained according to their nature, legal requirements and the Council’s retention policy
- allergy, dietary and accessibility information will normally be deleted when it is no longer required for the event or service
- consent records will be retained for as long as necessary to demonstrate that valid consent was obtained
- website logs will be retained only for as long as required for security, maintenance and troubleshooting
Some records may be kept for longer where there is an ongoing complaint, insurance matter, safeguarding concern, investigation or legal claim.
The ICO allows organisations to state either a defined retention period or the criteria used to decide how long information will be retained.
How we protect your information
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:
- unauthorised access
- accidental loss
- unlawful use
- alteration
- disclosure
- destruction
Measures may include access controls, passwords, secure email systems, website encryption, backups, staff procedures and restricted access to records.
No internet or email system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Please avoid sending sensitive information by ordinary email unless this has been agreed with us.
Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, you may have the right to:
- ask for a copy of your personal information
- ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- ask us to delete information
- ask us to restrict how information is used
- object to certain processing
- receive information in a portable format
- withdraw consent
- complain about how your information has been handled
These rights are not absolute and legal exemptions may apply.
We do not use personal information collected through this website to make decisions based solely on automated processing or profiling that have legal or similarly significant effects.
Your right to object
You have the right to object where we process your personal information for direct marketing.
You may also have the right to object where processing is based on public task or legitimate interests. We may continue processing where there are compelling lawful grounds or where information is required for legal claims.
To exercise your rights, contact:
The Town Clerk
Shildon Town Council
Council Offices
Civic Hall Square
Shildon
County Durham
DL4 1AH
Email: council@shildon.gov.uk
Telephone: 01388 772563
We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.
Children’s information
The website is not intended to collect personal information directly from children under 13.
Where an event or booking involves children, information should normally be supplied by a parent, guardian, responsible adult or event organiser.
We will only collect information about children where it is necessary and lawful, and we will apply additional safeguards.
External websites and social media
The website may contain links to external websites, including Facebook.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of external websites. When you follow an external link, the other organisation’s privacy notice and cookie practices will apply.
Complaints
Please contact Shildon Town Council first if you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
The current ICO complaint and contact information confirms this telephone number and postal address.
Changes to this notice
We may update this privacy notice when:
- our services change
- the website changes
- we use new suppliers or systems
- legal or regulatory requirements change
The latest version will always be published on this website.
Date prepared: 5 August 2026
Last reviewed: 5 August 2026
Next scheduled review: August 2027