Skip to main contentAccessibility Statement

Council tax and non-domestic rates privacy notice

1. Council contact details

1.1 West Northamptonshire Council

Registered Office:
One Angel Square
Angel Street
Northampton
NN1 1ED

Tel: 0300 126 7000

Website: www.westnorthants.gov.uk

2. Information that we hold

2.1 We currently collect and process the following categories of information for the administration of Council Tax and Non Domestic Rates:

  • Name of liable parties
  • Address (hereditament and mailing if different)
  • Household information to establish how many adults live in the property
  • Contact details, eg. email address, telephone number
  • Medical or health information to apply discounts and reliefs
  • Bank details for direct debit payments
  • IP address if you contact us using online forms

We may also collect and process the following categories of information if recovery action is necessary:

  • Financial information, eg. income and expenditure including benefit information
  • Property ownership
  • Landlord information
  • Employment details

3. How the information is obtained

3.1 Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:

  • The administration and collection of Council Tax and/or Non Domestic Rates

We also receive personal information indirectly, from the following sources in the following scenarios:

  • A landlord – due to a change in tenancy
  • A lettings agent – due to a change in tenancy
  • A council inspector or another team such as Housing, Benefits or Planning – due to a change in tenancy or occupancy

3.2 There are a number of reasons why we need to collect and use your personal information. Generally, we collect and use personal information where it is necessary to meet our legal obligations under:

  • The Local Government Finance Act 1992
  • Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992
  • Council Tax Support Reduction Scheme

Processing of special category data, such as medical or health information, is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest and is proportionate to the aim pursued.

4. What we do with the information

4.1 We use the information that you have given us or we have obtained in order to:

  • decide who should pay Council Tax or Non Domestic Rates
  • administer and collect Council Tax or Non Domestic Rates
  • administer and collect outstanding funds or debts owed to the Council
  • consider discounts, reliefs or exemptions
  • carry out enforcement action where necessary
  • complete and send reports to Central Government
  • update the Electoral Roll
  • prevent and detect crime
  • protect public funds

4.2 We may share this information with:

  • staff in our Council Tax Team and any other staff which need access to carry out their function eg. Customer Services
  • Enforcement Agents
  • other Councils where the law permits
  • National Audit Office
  • Credit Reference Agencies
  • HM Revenues and Custom
  • Cabinet Office re: National Fraud Initiative
  • Her Majesty’s Court Service
  • Office for National Statistics (ONS)
  • Elected Members, Members of Parliament or advice agencies when acting on your behalf
  • other authorities or agencies with investigative powers eg. Police, Home Office
  • Valuation Office Agency
  • other organisations that carry out services for the Council

If you reside in the Northampton area, Council Tax services are carried out under contract by LGSS.4.3 Automated decision-making is where decisions are made about you without any human influence on the outcome. These may affect your legal rights or have an impact on your circumstances, behaviour or choices.

Automated decision-making is not used when processing your data for Council Tax or Non Domestic Rate purposes.

5. How long we keep your information for and how we securely dispose of it after use

5.1 We keep your personal information for the purpose of administering and collecting Council Tax and/or Non Domestic Rates in line with the council’s retention schedules.

5.2 We will securely dispose of your information in line with the Council's Retention Schedules.

6. How we store your information

6.1 Your information is securely stored on the council’s management systems in electronic format.

7 Your data protection rights

7.1 The law gives you a number of rights to control what personal information is used by us and how we can use it. For further information, please see the Council’s Privacy Policy or visit the Information Commissioner’s website.

7.2 Please be aware that your rights may differ depending on the lawful basis for processing your personal data.

8. Who to contact

8.1 For further information about how West Northamptonshire Council uses your personal data, including your rights as a data subject, please see our Privacy Policy. If you are unhappy with the use of your personal data or for further information please contact the council’s Data Protection Officer.

8.2 If you are still dissatisfied with how we have used your data once you have made a complaint through the council’s internal complaints procedure you have the right to complain to the ICO.

You can write to the ICO at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

You can call the ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113.

9 Changes to this privacy notice

9.1 Privacy notices are live documents, which will be updated or revised in line with legislation.

Last updated 06 July 2023