Make a subject access request

The Data Protection Act 2018 gives individuals (data subjects) a number of rights including the right to access personal data that an organisation holds about them. You can make a formal request to us either verbally or in writing. However, you must:

• supply information to prove who you are (to eliminate risk of unauthorised disclosure)
• supply appropriate information to help the council locate the information you require

Your request should include details and provide evidence of who you are such as your driving licence, passport or birth certificate. You should also provide as much detail as possible regarding the information you wish to access including:

• where and by whom information is believed to be held
• specific details of information required
• the relevant time period
• any unique reference numbers

To help us manage your request, you may prefer to  complete the subject access request form (Word doc) [45KB] .

Email the completed form to DataProtection@south-ayrshire.gov.uk or send it along with proof of your identity to:

Data Protection Officer
Information Governance Team
Legal and Democratic Services
County Buildings
Wellington Square
Ayr
KA7 1DR

What happens next?

We will work to respond to requests within one month. But, if your request is large and detailed then it can take up to three months. For example, where there is a large volume of documents or there are frequent instances of other parties appearing in the documents that require detailed redaction, will be considered in this way.

Can I see all the information about me?

Usually, you'll be given a copy of all the information that we hold about you. However, information may be withheld such as:

• information about another member of your family, unless explicit permission has been given by that person
• information which has been given about you by a third party unless explicit permission has been given by that person
• information which may prevent the detection of a crime or prosecution of an individual, or which may affect a legal matter such as care proceedings
• information which it's believed would cause you or another person serious physical, mental or emotional harm if shared or disclosed.

Asking for information on someone's behalf

You can ask a 3rd party representative to act on your behalf when making a subject access request, such as a solicitor, financial advisor, carer or family member. We must be satisfied that you have consented to this and will ask your representative to demonstrate this by providing a mandate.

Parental or guardian rights

In cases where individuals are incapable of understanding or exercising their rights, for instances because they are too young, then subject access requests may be made by parents or other persons who are legally able to act on their behalf.

What if I want to change or amend information that is held about me?

If you believe that the information that we hold about you in our records is incorrect you can request that it's removed or corrected. We'll consider your request and may ask for further details or evidence to support it. If we're satisfied that the information is inaccurate we'll make sure it is either deleted or changed.

What do I do if I have a complaint about how my personal data is being used?

If you're unhappy with the way we have dealt with your personal information, you can make a complaint to our Data Protection Officer.

If you remain dissatisfied after contacting our Data Protection Officer you've the right to make a complaint to the UK Information Commissioner.