This policy explains how the information we collect about you is used and your rights in relation to that information.
Personal information collected from you in order to register an event is required by law. The main legislation which governs the collection of registration information is the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, the Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004. You may be legally by obliged these acts, and other pieces of legislation, to provide certain pieces of information. If you fail to provide information you are required to give us you may, amongst other things, be liable to a fine, or we may not be able to provide the service you are applying for, such as a marriage or a civil partnership.
Personal information may also be collected from you if you are make an application to this office, for example for a certificate or to correct information contained in a register entry.
The information you provide will be held and processed by registration officers for this registration district.
The superintendent registrar, Hazel Sharkey, is a data controller for birth, death, marriage and civil partnership registrations and can be contacted at Reading Register Office on GDPR@reading.gov.uk
The local authority is a data controller for civil partnership registrations and can be contacted at GDPR@reading.gov.uk
The Registrar General for England and Wales is a joint data controller for birth, marriage, death and civil partnership registrations and can be contacted at the General Register Office, Trafalgar Road, Southport, PR8 2HH.
The Data Protection Officer is Ricky Gill.
A copy of any register entry will be provided by this office in accordance with the law to any applicant, provided they supply enough information to identify the entry concerned and pay the appropriate fee. The copy may only be issued in the form of a paper certified copy (a “certificate”). An application for a certificate may also be made to the General Register Office.
Indexes for events registered at this office are publicly available in order to help members of the public identify the registration record they might need. Indexes are available [in what format] [Where the information contained within local indexes is available online it is done in a manner which is compliant with data protection and Human Rights legislation.]
A copy of the information collected by a registration officer will also be sent to the Registrar General for England and Wales so that a central record of all registrations can be maintained.
Registration information held at this office may be shared with other organisations in the course of carrying out our functions, or to enable others to perform theirs.
We will only share information where there is a lawful basis to do so for the following reasons:
Further information on data held by the registration service and a full list of the organisations with whom registration data is shared, the purpose and the lawful basis for sharing the data can be found below. Alternatively, staff at this office will be able to provide the information.
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, to be informed about the collection and use of your personal information, for incorrect information to be corrected (where the law permits) and to request us to restrict the processing of your personal information. In certain circumstances you have the right to object to the processing of your personal information. Your information will not be subjected to automated decision-making.
Registration information is retained indefinitely as required by law.
| Nature of record | Retention period | Action at the end of that period | Legislation | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All records relating to the re-registration of a birth | Permanent | Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 section 7 | Statutory Requirement | |
| Certificates of registration of births and still-births | 2 years | Destroy (retain further if they have not been subject to scrutiny during a stock audit by General Register Office) | Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 | Statutory Requirement |
| All records relating to the issuing of civil partnership certificates and applications for copies of certificates | Retain from year records created for 6 years | Destroy | Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 | Recommended |
| All records relating to the registration of civil partnerships | Permanent | Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 | Statutory Requirement | |
| Register of Deaths | Permanent | Statutory Requirement | ||
| All records relating to burials and cremations held by the Registrar’s Office | 5 years | Destroy | Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 | Statutory Requirement |
| Register of Marriage or civil partnership | Permanent | Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 | Statutory Requirement | |
| Notices of marriage/civil partnership | 5 years | Destroy | Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 | Statutory Requirement |
| Marriage Authorities after Marriage | 2 years | Destroy | Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 | |
| All records relating to the management of wedding venues owned by the council | Retain from date licence expires for 6 years | Destroy | Limitation Act 1980 S.2 | Statutory Requirement |
| Nationality Checking Service, National Document Return Service, European Passport Return Service | 5 years | Destroy | Article 6(1)(b) – contract | Recommended |
you have any questions or concerns about the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information please contact the Superintendent Registrar who is the data controller for this service.
You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office about the way we are handling your personal information. Details on how you can do this can be found at https://ico.org.uk/