Data Protection Complaints Procedure
The Data Protection Complaints Procedure provides a dedicated route for members of the public to raise complaints about how Mid and East Antrim Council handles their personal data.
1. Introduction
2. Purpose
3.. Scope
4. Procedure
5. Right to external review
1. Introduction
This Procedure provides a dedicated route for members of the public to raise complaints about how Mid and East Antrim Council handles their personal data. In accordance with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) and the ICO’s guidance, it fulfils the statutory requirement for the Council to maintain and operate an internal complaints process specifically for data protection matters, separate from our general complaints procedure.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to set out the steps for members of the public to follow when raising a complaint about the handling of their personal data. This ensures complaints are addressed internally first and that individuals receive timely, clear, and outcome-focused responses.
3. Scope
Any data subject (anybody whose personal data has been processed by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council) has the right to complain to the controller (the Council).
Complaints may include, but are not limited to:
- being unhappy with a response to a subject access request (SAR), or other data protection rights request
- possible data breaches relating to a data subject
- being unhappy about the way their personal data has been handled, including but not limited to:
- storage and security of personal data
- how long personal data has been held
- the accuracy of the personal data held.
This procedure does not cover complaints about Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Requests. If you are dissatisfied with any processing relevant to these, please contact E: foi@midandeastantrim.gov.uk and we will handle your complaint following Council procedure.
The Council has a range of Complaints Procedures for its other activities. Further information can be found via our Complaints, Comments and Compliments policy[KM1] .
4. Procedure
If you wish to make a complaint regarding how we have processed your personal information, you can contact the Data Protection Officer via the following methods:
Email directly to Councils Data Protection Officer E: DPO@midandeastantrim.gov.uk
Write to the DPO:
Data Protection Officer
The Braid
1 – 29 Bridge Street
Ballymena
Co Antrim
BT43 5EJ
Deliver in person to The Braid, Ballymena for the attention of the Data Protection Officer
Following receipt of your complaint, we will acknowledge it without undue delay, and within 30 days of receiving it.
We will then undertake an investigation of the matters you have raised in your complaint, and may contact you for further information, if necessary.
We will endeavour to respond to your complaint within one month, and no longer than within three months. If the complaint is particularly complex and the investigation takes time, or if for any other reasons we anticipate that your investigation will take longer than three months, we will update you in writing to keep you informed.
When complete, we will respond in writing providing details of the investigation undertaken and detailing the outcome of that investigation.
5. Right to external review
If you remain dissatisfied after you have received the response to your complaint, you have the right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Postal address: Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AFor call 0303 123 1113
Please note - the ICO will not normally accept complaints more than 3 months after the last contact with an organisation.