How SLLP obtains information about you

The South London Legal Partnership (SLLP) is a five-borough shared legal service working on behalf of the London Boroughs of Merton, Richmond, Kingston, Sutton and Wandsworth. SLLP also provides legal service to other organisations such as Achieving for Children.

SLLP does not routinely collect data directly from you due to the nature of the services we provide. Usually your data will be given to us by the councils and organisations we provide legal services to.

Who to contact about your information

When SLLP is working on behalf of the five-borough councils their privacy notices apply to your information and please send your queries, requests to exercise your data protection rights or complaints about your information to the relevant council. The five-borough councils' contact details and links to their privacy notices are as follows:

When SLLP is working on behalf of other organisations please send your queries, requests to exercise your data protection rights or complaints about your information to Merton Council at data.protection@merton.gov.uk.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy, and data sharing issues, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF 

What information do we obtain about you?

SLLP receives personal information from the five-borough councils and other organisations we provide legal services to, which may include but not be limited to the following personal data: 

  • name
  • contact details
  • family details
  • lifestyle and social circumstances
  • financial details
  • employment and education details
  • visual images, personal appearance and behaviour
  • business activities
  • case file information

And Special Categories of personal data:

  • physical or mental health details
  • racial or ethnic origin
  • offences (including alleged offences)
  • criminal proceedings, outcomes and sentences
  • religious or other beliefs of a similar nature

On occasion we may be the first point of contact that you have, in these circumstances we may collect some or all of the information listed below. We will ensure that we only collect the information required for us to deal with the matter.

  • current and former name, telephone number, email address,
  • address
  • medical information,
  • banking details,
  • criminal record
  • copies of identity documents,
  • national insurance number
  • complaints

There are limited circumstances where you must provide us with information; where there is a legal obligation to provide this information we will advise you of this along with the consequences of failing to provide the information.

In all other circumstances the information we obtain is necessary for the matter that we are dealing with, if you fail to provide the information that is required then we may not be able to provide a service/complete legal transactions with you, or it may take longer to perform that service or may lead to you failing to receive important legal documents and relevant correspondence.

We also obtain personal information from other sources as follows:

  • personal information from public sources such as the electoral roll, social media, public directories, etc.
  • receive information from other government agencies or departments relevant to the matter that we are advising on

How we use your information?

SLLP uses your personal data for the purposes of dealing with legal proceedings and transactions in accordance with the discretionary services, statutory duties and/or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims of the councils and organisations we provide legal services to.

Your information will not be used for any other purposes without you being informed or where legally required, without your consent.

Sometimes we have to give your information to other authorities or organisations for the prevention or detection of crime, or because of other legal matters. We don't need your consent to do this.

Your personal information will be treated as confidential. We will only use your information in ways which are permitted by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

Who do we share your information with?

In order to deliver legal services, it may be necessary for us to share your personal data with, but not necessarily limited to, the following organisations/partners:

  • courts and those involved in legal proceedings and non-contentious matters including external solicitors and barristers, expert witnesses, the Police and other crime enforcement agencies
  • other local authorities, parish councils and commons associations
  • Highways England
  • Tribunals, coroner's inquests, inquiries
  • government agencies and departments, e.g. HMRC, DWP, immigration enforcement where necessary
  • The Land Registry
  • National Health Service (NHS) and clinical commissioning groups
  • members of the public by way of statutory notice or property related order (e.g. compulsory purchase order)
  • trade unions
  • solicitors, barristers and other professionals who may be acting on our behalf
  • third-party organisations such as housing associations
  • debt collectors
  • elected members and MPs
  • contractors providing IT or advice services
  • national regulators, e.g. Information Commissioner's Office, Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office
  • consultees – statutory or others

We will not disclose your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Your rights

  • Access – you can be provided copies or information about your personal data 
  • Rectification – you can ask any incorrect information to be corrected.
  • Deletion – you can ask for your personal information to be deleted. This can be refused if there is a lawful reason to keep the information.
  • Portability – you can ask for your personal data to be transferred to different organisations or to you.
  • Right to object or restrict processing – you have the right to object to how your data is being used and how it is going to be used in the future.
  • Right to prevent automatic decisions – you have the right to challenge a decision that affects you that has been made automatically without human intervention, for example an online form with an instant decision.

How long will we keep your information for?

We will only keep your information for as long as we need it and in accordance with our Retention Schedule 

Keeping your information secure

SLLP is committed to protecting your personal data.  All information is held securely and in compliance with all current data protection legislation to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of your information. We have put measures in place to ensure that our staff, external consultants and contractors all protect your information in line with the law and follow best practice including:  

  • training for staff in their data protection responsibilities
  • access to your information is only given to those who need to know and where it is necessary
  • information will not be held for longer than required and will be disposed of securely
  • we encrypt all our electronic devices and sensitive information that is transmitted is encrypted

Details of any automated decision processes

SLLP do not carry out automated decisions.