Coroner’s Service: Data Privacy Notice

The identity and contact details of the company

Reading Borough Council – 0118 937 3787

Contact details of the Data Protection Officer

Nayana George
Contact: IGTeam@reading.gov.uk.

What personal data is held?

Next of Kin/Family/Executor:

Name
Address
Telephone Number
Mobile Number
Email Address
Occupation
Place of birth
Date of birth

Finder/Landowner/Occupier:

Name
Address
Telephone Number
Mobile Number
Email Address

Witness / Juror:

Name
Address
Age
Employment status
Telephone number
Email address
Bank details for claiming expenses

Contractors:

Name
Address
Telephone Number
Bank details for invoicing purposes

How will the data be stored?

The data is stored within the Coroner’s Office, which is PAC card access and limited to Reading Borough Council staff working for the Coroner or Town Hall.

All data is held securely on encrypted laptops with password access. Coroner electronic files are held on a dual username and dual password accessed system. This database is only accessible by Coroners, Coroner’s Officers and Coroner Admin staff.

Any paperwork is disposed of in the corporate confidential waste.

What is the legal basis for the collection, use and storage of the data?

The coroner’s service has a right to hold personal data under the following lawful basis:

Legal obligation:

It is the coroner’s duty to investigate sudden or unexplained deaths under the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009, and to provide details as required to facilitate the registration of a death after inquest under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.

Public task:

The need to process personal data ‘in the exercise of official authority’. This covers public functions and powers that are set out in law. This would be the Coroner’s public function to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths under the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009.

Give details of how long the data will be stored and criteria used to determine this?

Public Records held in local government and specialist local repositories (The National Archives) Section 9:

Coroner’s case files that record the processes and actions of inquiring into deaths which do not proceed to an inquest are destroyed 15 years after last action.

Coroner’s case files that record the processes and actions of inquiring into deaths which proceed to an inquest are held permanently.

Audio discs and cassettes pertaining to an inquest are held for 15 years then destroyed. Case files on treasure trove are destroyed 2 years after the last action.

The Coroner’s Allowances, Fees and Expenses Regulations 2013:

A coroner and his or her relevant authority must each keep a record of all allowances, fees and expenses paid under these Regulations for 3 years.

Crown Court Record Retention and Disposition Schedule:

Juror details to be destroyed 1 year following the completion of the inquest.

Who will it be shared with and for what purpose?

Personal details will be shared as required to fulfil the coroner’s legal obligation to investigate sudden or unexplained deaths and treasure trove under the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009, and to facilitate the registration of a death following inquest under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953. This may include sharing details with the police, hospitals, persons with ‘properly interested person’ status at inquest (Chief Coroner’s Guidance No.44), and Register Offices.

How can the service user get access to it?

Access to coronial files within 75 years of the death are via written request to the coroner’s office – Coroner@reading.gov.uk.

Thereafter by written request to the Berkshire Records Office: https://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/contact-us.

State whether any data is to be transferred outside the EU?

N/A

Is processing based on consent?

No.

What other rights does the service user have that we have to make known to them?

The right to have their data corrected, the right to have their data rectified if inaccurate, deleted and their right to put a

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled by RBC. They can be contacted at:

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

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113 ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk

State if there will be any automated decision making

N/A