This privacy notice is designed to help you understand how and why the coroner processes your personal data.
Who are we?
The coroner has been appointed jointly by North Yorkshire Council (NYC) and City of York council (CYC) and covers both areas. A coroner is an independent judicial office holder, appointed by a local council which provides all the resources needed by its coroner.
Coroners investigate deaths reported to them if:
- death was violent or unnatural
- the cause of death is unknown
- death has occurred in prison, police custody or another type of state detention
In these cases coroners investigate to find out, for the benefit of bereaved people and for official records, who has died; and how, when and where they died, and may conduct an inquest including treasure inquests.
The North Yorkshire coroner is a ‘data controller’ as defined by Article 4(7) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). NYC and CYC, as the supporting councils, are each a data controller jointly with the coroner for the personal data each processes.
North Yorkshire Council has appointed Veritau to be its data protection officer. Its contact details are:
Information Governance Office
Veritau
West Offices
Station Rise
York
North Yorkshire
YO1 6GA
Email: infogov@northyorks.gov.uk
Tel: 01904 552848
The contact details for the data protection officer at CYC are
Information Governance Office
City of York Council
West Offices
Station Rise
York
North Yorkshire
YO1 6GA
Email: information.governance@york.gov.uk
Tel: 01904 554145
What personal information do we collect?
Personal data relating to witnesses and other individuals including family and Next of Kin, will be collected and processed in the course of preparatory work by coroner’s officers (within North Yorkshire police, another police service or investigatory agency) and during the coroner’s proceedings.
This processing is carried out under the provisions of schedule 2 paragraph 14 of the data protection act 2018 (judicial proceedings). The judicial data protection panel, and not the information commissioner, has jurisdiction over the coroner’s processing in the course of inquests or other judicial functions. You can find the judicial data protection panel privacy notice. If you have concerns about privacy at an inquest please refer to that notice, or contact the Coroner directly.
The categories of personal data being processed by the supporting councils are:
- jurors – name and address, and bank account details (to pay expenses)
- witnesses - name and address, and bank account details (to pay expenses)
- suppliers - name and address, and bank account details ( to pay invoices)
Why do we collect your personal information?
Your personal data is collected to enable
- the coroner to carry out investigations and to hold inquests
- the relevant council to administer the running of the coroner's office and carry out its statutory responsibilities
Who do we share this information with?
Your information may be shared with the following bodies while an investigation takes place or after the inquest is concluded:
- North Yorkshire council
- City of York council
- North Yorkshire police
- North Yorkshire council registration service
- York City council registration service
- other organisations, which from time to time are involved with an investigation and who are required to provide evidence or assistance to the coroner
We may also be required or permitted, under data protection legislation, to disclose your personal data without your consent, for example, if we have a legal obligation to do so such as law enforcement, fraud investigations, regulation and licensing, criminal prosecutions or court proceedings.
As inquests are accessible to the public, this data will be shared with anyone attending the proceedings, including the press.
How long do we keep your information for?
Coroner’s records must be retained for at least 15 years under the coroners (investigation) regulations 2013. Payment records generated by the councils are retained for the six years after the current financial year.
What is our lawful basis for processing your information?
We will rely on the following lawful basis to process your information:
UK GDPR Article 6 (1) (c) – processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
The legislations that relate to this service includes, but is not limited to:
- coroners and justice act 2009
- the coroners (investigations) regulations 2013
- the coroners (inquests) rules 2013
- coroners allowances fees and expenses regulations 2013
Do we transfer your data outside of the UK?
Usually, the information collected is all held within the UK. However, some information may be held on computer servers which are outside of the UK.
The coroner may need to liaise and exchange information with local agencies where the deceased died abroad.
What are your data protection rights?
Data protection legislation gives you, as a data subject, a number of rights in regards to your personal information. You can find out more about these rights, and how to exercise them, on the relevant web page for either North Yorkshire Council or City of York Council and City of York privacy notice.
Note however the exemptions provided by schedule 2 paragraph 14 of the data protection act 2018 in relation to your data processed during the Coroner’s proceedings.
If we wish to use your information for a new purpose, not covered by this privacy notice, we will provide you with a new notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions. Where and whenever necessary, we will seek your prior consent to the new processing.
How do I complain about the way in which you have handled my personal data?
If you have concerns about the way in which the coroner or either council has handled your personal data, please contact the relevant data protection officer at the addresses above.
You can complain to the Information commissioner’s office (the data protection regulator) about the way in which North Yorkshire council have handled your personal data:
First Contact Team
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 03031 23 1113