Community Safety and Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams Privacy Notice

City of York Council (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 September 2025.

CYC is committed to ensuring that 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 services delivered by Community safety and neighbourhood enforcement team.

CYC is the controller for the personal data we process, unless otherwise stated. You can contact the council’s Data Protection Officer at:

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 relevant specific privacy notices that are available in our Privacy Notice.

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 you
  • from third parties acting on your behalf such as family members, advocates
  • from our commissioned partners or contractors who undertake work on our behalf

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What personal data we process and why

We will only process the information that is necessary such as:

  • your name, address, telephone number and email address
  • details of your request
  • names and addresses of a business or person complained or enquired about
  • details collected as part of our investigations and enforcement actions
  • photos, video images, sound and audio recordings

We use your information to provide our services covering the Community Safety and Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams areas of responsibility. These are as follows.

Environmental areas of responsibility

  • Alcohol Restriction Zone enforcement (Public Space Protection Order)
  • advertising of 2 or more vehicles within 500 metres on the highway
  • dangerous dogs (perception not actual dog on person attacks)
  • dog on dog attacks
  • dog fouling on public land (Fouling of Land Act) and private (Community Protection Notice (CPN) route)
  • dog chipping - ability to serve Notice requiring a dog is chipped in cases involving wider anti social behaviour (ASB) only
  • dogs on leads byelaws (prescribed land)
  • dogs straying persistently (CPN route)
  • domestic Waste Permits (fraudulent use of)
  • duty of Care - commercial/trade waste/domestic responsibilities regarding rubbish
  • drainage - defective private drains, cess pits and septic tanks (above land drainage is dealt with by Housing Adaptations and Standards)
  • fly-posting/unauthorised advertisements
  • fly-tipping - public and private land - Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) (small-scale) or prosecution
  • horses on public land - scanning for ownership/identification of owners/redirection to Horse Bailiff
  • littering
  • noise nuisance - domestic
  • noise Patrol - Friday and Saturday 9.00pm to 3.00am
  • Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) enforcement
  • rats and mice - harbourage on land
  • repairing vehicles on the highway (unless breakdown)
  • scrap metal dealers - illegal transportation and/or disposal of scrap metal
  • statutory nuisance - accumulations, animals and premises that are prejudicial to health or a nuisance (EPA 1990)
  • street ASB - including nuisance buskers, sellers, beggars, rough sleepers. Must be associated ASB (CPN route)
  • street urination or defecation - breach of byelaw
  • unauthorised encampments
  • unsightly properties - overgrown/waste (CPN route)
  • waste presentation - incorrect presentation of domestic waste - bins and bags
  • Waste Carriers and Waste Transfer documentation

Anti-Social Behaviour powers and areas of responsibility

  • Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) - Includes Alcohol Restriction Zones
  • Community Protection Notices (CPN) - For all ASB ‘having a detrimental effect of a persistent/continuing nature on the quality of life of those in the vicinity’
  • Generic Power - Can be used for a wide range of ASB but not where substantive legislation exists. The power should not be used to have a detrimental impact on those affected by homelessness. Examples of use are nuisance busking and selling, nuisance associated with begging, straying dogs, condition of gardens and buildings

We will also use your information when:

  • dealing with complaints and enquiries
  • providing advice about compliance with the law
  • carrying out checks
  • conducting investigations and law enforcement
  • conducting investigations and gathering evidence for law enforcement purposes. You can find more details about this in the City Of York Council Law Enforcement Processing Privacy Notice

If you choose to take part in our surveys or consultation such as PSPOs to establish the scale of the problem within an area and whether residents would support introducing a PSPO, we will collect and use your comments, feedback, experiences and opinions. You can withdraw your consent to these at any time by contacting us on email: paul.morrison@york.gov.uk.

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

When you make an online payment on the council’s website, you can find details in the Online Payments Privacy Notice.

We may 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
  • audit framework
  • to see how the council and its partners are supporting individuals
  • to help design better services
  • to inform funding decisions

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Automated decision-making

We do not carry out any automated decision making without any human intervention in services provided by the Community Safety and Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams.

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Collecting information automatically

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

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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.

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Lawful basis for processing your personal data

Any personal data, special category data and criminal offence data that we process about individuals is done so in accordance with one or more of the following Articles 6, 9 and 10 of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

  • Article 6(1):
    • (a) Consent: the individual has given clear consent for the council to process their personal data for a specific purpose
    • (c) Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for the council to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations)
    • (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):
    • (a) Explicit consent
    • (b) Employment, social security and social protection (if authorised by law)
    • (f) Legal claims or judicial acts
    • (g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)

This is supported by Schedule1, Part 2 (6) of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the following legal framework:

  • Crime and Disorder Act 1998
  • Equality Act 2010
  • Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
  • Highways Act 1980
  • Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976
  • Local Government Act 1972 (including associated byelaws created in accordance with this legislation)
  • Open Spaces Act 1906
  • Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005
  • Building Act 1984
  • Control of Pollution Act 1974
  • Pests Act 1954
  • Criminal Damage Act 1971
  • Town and Country Planning Act 1971
  • Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
  • Public Health Acts 1936 and 1961
  • Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • Environment Act 1995
  • Planning and Compensation Act 1984
  • Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
  • Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
  • Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
  • Dogs Act 1871 and 1906
  • Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996
  • Municipal Corporations Act 1882
  • Dangerous Dogs Act 1989 and 1991
  • Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997
  • Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013

Where we process information relating to criminal convictions and offences, this is under Article 10 UK GDPR that covers processing in relation to criminal convictions and offences or related security measures. In addition, section 11(2) of the DPA 2018 specifically confirms that this includes personal data relating to the alleged commission of offences, or proceedings for an offence committed or alleged to have been committed, including sentencing.

Some of the Schedule 1 conditions for processing special category and criminal offence data require an Appropriate Policy Document (APD) 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.

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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 the council retention schedule.

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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
  • 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.

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

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Data processors and/or third parties

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

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Transfers of personal data

We don’t routinely transfer personal data, special categories of personal data, or criminal offence 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.

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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

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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

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Also see

Data Protection Officer

West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 555719

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