Data Protection - do all parish councils need to register with ICO?

Question

Dear all.  The parish where I am Clerk is registered with ICO and pays £35 p.a. for the privilege - I hold an email list of residents who are interested in parish happenings.  I am considering applying for another Clerk's job in a similar very rural parish and while doing my due research I found they are not registered.  I thought I'd dig around for other nearby small parishes and can only find a few on the register.  I'm sure when the new rules came out we were required to register.

Have I got this wrong and perhaps registration is not necessary at the new parish?

Your views please - Thanks, Liz

Answer 1

I suggest you check with the ICO but my understanding is that parishes should register.  Just holding email addresses for residents which are used for mail shots is a definite requirement for not just registration but procedures to be in place to manage that data in accordance with the GDPR.  The current registration fee is £40.00 p.a. for parish councils

Answer 2

Liz, when you go on the ICO website you go through a number of questions to ensure membership is necessary.  We are a very small PC and have paid £35 (£5 discount on direct debit).  We hold a copy of the electoral register along with a number of private telephone and email addresses.

Comments

Thank you both. Yes the £35 we pay is the discounted amount for direct debit. I've since found out that the council I'm thinking of going to say they don't hold any  personal information other than contact details of councillors which is public anyway so don't feel they need to register.  They don't keep a copy of the electoral roll.  The main reason is the cost which is a chunk of money for a tiny parish like those in my area.

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Just be aware that unless you and your councillors are deleting all your emails, you can still fall foul of the DP protection rules as holding personal email addresses falls within the regulations.  These days there are so many times that personal data is involved I find it hard to believe a registration isn't necessary.