People and communities

Community Clean Up Events Privacy Notice

City of York Councils (CYC) current data protection notification is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), reference: Z5809563.

We regularly review this privacy notice, and it was last updated in January 2026.

CYC is committed to ensuring that your information is handled in accordance with the principles set out in data protection legislation and guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

This privacy notice tells you what to expect when we process your information, and it applies to our community clean up events.

CYC is the controller for the personal data we process, unless otherwise stated.

You can contact the council’s Data Protection Officer by email: information.governance@york.gov.uk, by telephone: 01904 555 719, or write to:

West Offices
Station Rise
York
YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 555719.

Email: information.governance@york.gov.uk.

This privacy notice should be read in conjunction with other CYC privacy notices that are available in our Privacy Notice and/or policies and procedures.

When appropriate we will provide a ‘just in time’ notice to cover any additional processing activities not mentioned in this privacy notice.

How we collect your information

We get information about you from the following sources:

  • directly from when you apply to volunteer, either by completing the online form or contacting us by phone or email
  • from third parties, such as a parent or guardian, other members of your community clean up team, advocates, councillors, MPs, and so on
  • from other organisations such as NHS and the Police
  • from our commissioned partners or contractors who undertake work on our behalf

Top of page

What personal data we process and why

We process the following personal data and special categories of personal data:

  • name
  • phone number
  • email address
  • address details when delivering equipment to you
  • photos of your activity or event

We're using the information you give us to support you with everything you need to take part, for example:

  • loan you equipment
  • provide you with promotional support
  • collection and disposal of rubbish
  • to send you updates on community clean up events
  • to send you our newsletter

If you want to send us photos of your activity or event, you can find more details about this in our online forms:

You can also see what we may use your photos for in the Communications Team including photos, filming and recording Privacy Notice.

When you complete an online form on the council’s website and you have provided your email address, we'll send you a copy of your completed online form.

When you apply to volunteer, you'll be asked for your consent. This includes providing consent if you are the parent or guardian of someone volunteering who is under 18 years old.

We may also ask you to take part in surveys or consultations, and if you choose to take part we'll also process your comments, feedback, and opinions.

You can withdraw your consent for taking part in surveys or consultations, or for the use of your photos, at any time by contacting us on email: environmentandcommunity@york.gov.uk.

We'll use your information to create reports and statistics that are anonymous and cannot be linked back to you, or individuals such as:

  • for statistical analysis
  • for statutory returns
  • for audit framework
  • to see how the council and its partners are supporting individuals
  • to help design better services
  • to inform funding decisions

Artificial Intelligence

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to support or enhance council services. Where AI is involved in a process that directly affects your interaction with us, we will inform you before your user journey begins. This ensures transparency and helps maintain trust in how we use AI.

Our use of AI complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), including the principles of lawfulness, fairness, transparency, accountability, and accuracy. We conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) where AI systems are likely to result in high risks to individuals’ rights and freedoms, such as automated decision-making or profiling.

If generative AI tools are used, we do not use personal or end-user data to train AI models. This helps ensure compliance with the purpose limitation and data minimisation principles under UK GDPR.

AI for Staff Productivity and Accessibility

Where AI tools are used solely by staff to assist with drafting, research, or accessibility - for example, to improve writing efficiency or summarise information - these uses do not form part of a business process that affects service delivery or decision-making. As such, no specific notification will be provided for these internal productivity uses.

These uses are considered low risk and do not involve automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. They are also subject to internal governance and safeguards to ensure responsible use.

Examples include:

  • drafting internal reports or meeting notes
  • summarising lengthy documents for quicker review
  • assisting with spelling, grammar, or formatting tasks

Top of page

Automated decision-making

We do not carry out any automated decision-making without any human intervention as part of our community clean up events.

Top of page

Collecting information automatically

Please see our Cookies Policy for further information about the information we collect automatically when you use our website.

Top of page

Children’s information

Where we provide services directly to children or young people, the information in the relevant parts of this notice applies to children and young people, as well as adults.

Top of page

Lawful basis for processing your personal data

Any personal data and special categories of personal data that we process about individuals is done so in accordance with one or more of the following Articles 6 and 9 of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Article 6(1):

  • (a) Consent: the individual has given clear consent for the council to process their personal data
  • (e) Public task: the processing is necessary for the council to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law
  • (f) Legitimate interests: the processing is necessary for the council’s legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party, unless there is a good reason to protect the individual’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests (this cannot apply if you are a public authority processing data to perform your official tasks)

Article 9(2):

  • Explicit consent

Some of the Schedule 1 conditions for processing special category and criminal offence data require an Appropriate Policy Document to be in place, which sets out and explains the procedures for securing compliance with the principles in Article 5 and policies regarding the retention and erasure of such personal data. This document explains this processing and satisfies the requirements of Schedule 1, Part 4 of the DPA 2018 and supplements this privacy notice.

Our Appropriate Policy Document provides further information about this processing.

Top of page

How long we keep your personal data

We will only keep your information for as long as it is needed then it will be securely and confidentially deleted or disposed of.

You can find details on how long the council keeps records in our Retention Schedule.

Top of page

Data sharing

We will only share your information where it is appropriate to, with:

  • other CYC services
  • other councils, government departments and agencies
  • other organisations, such as the NHS and the Police
  • third parties, including our data processors, partners, or contractors, who undertake work on our behalf
  • internal and external auditors

In some circumstances, such as under a court order or safeguarding, we are legally obliged to share information.

We will always satisfy ourselves that we have a lawful basis on which to share the information and document our decision-making and satisfy ourselves we have a legal basis on which to share the information.

Additionally we are required under the Public Records Act 1958 (as amended) to transfer records to the City or National Archives for permanent preservation.

Full consideration will be given to Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation when making decisions about whether such records should be open to the public.

Top of page

Data processors and/or third parties

When we have third parties providing parts or all of our services, systems, software, plaftorms, applications (apps), and so on for us, we have contracts or agreements in place with them. These include:

Top of page

Transfers of personal data

We don’t routinely transfer personal data or special categories of personal data outside of the UK but when this is necessary we ensure that we have appropriate safeguards in place and that is done in accordance with the UK data protection and privacy legislation.

Top of page

How we protect your information

We're committed to keeping your information safe and secure. There are several ways we do this, such as:

  • IT security safeguards such as firewalls, encryption, and anti-virus software
  • on-site security safeguards to protect physical files and electronic equipment
  • training for all staff and elected councillors
  • policies and procedures

Top of page

Your rights in relation to this processing

To find out about your rights under data protection law, you can go to the Information Commissioner's Office website.

You can also find information about your rights in our Privacy Notice.

If you have any questions about this privacy notice, want to exercise your rights, or if you have a complaint about how your information has been used, please contact us on email: information.governance@york.gov.uk, or on telephone: 01904 555719, or write to:

Data Protection Officer
City of York Council
West Offices
Station Rise
York YO1 6GA

Top of page

Also see

Data Protection Officer

West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 555719

Comment on this page