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The services process personal data in order to manage public rights of way either directly or jointly with partners and commissioned private and third sector providers.

This includes:

• Rural Payments Agency Register
• agreements
• consultations
• deposits and grants
• legal notice, orders and court orders
• reporting and managing issues on the Public Rights of Way Network and Worcestershire’s Definitive Map
• volunteering and Parish Paths Warden Scheme

Please note that failure to provide your personal data may make it difficult for us to manage Public Rights of Way and access effectively.

The service processes personal data which is relevant to individual cases which may include, but is not limited to, the following personal data:

• names
• age and / or date of birth
• addresses and contact details
• details of issues you raise or report to the Public Rights of Way team
• details of land ownership
• details of land registry information
• invoices

The legal bases for processing this personal data are:

• Public task (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e)) – processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the
• public interest or in the exercise of our official authority under legislation

The legislation enabling to process this data includes:

• Highways Act 1980
• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
• Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
• Town and Country Planning Act 1990
• Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
• Deregulation Act 2015
• Defra Circular 1/09 - Rights of Way
• The Dedicated Highways (Registers under Section 31A of the Highways Act 1980) (England) Regulations 2007
• The Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) and Dedicated Highways (Landowner Statements and Declarations) (England) Regulations 2013
• any other legislation pertaining to public rights of way

Due to the nature of the work the Public Rights of Way team undertake, we would not normally expect to process ‘special category data’ e.g. information about medical history, political persuasion, union membership or ethnic origin. Please note that any special category personal data that individuals may provide in their comments, applications and communications will be processed on the basis of explicit consent as the individual has elected to provide this information.

We may need to share the personal information you have given to us or we’ve collected about you with partner organisations where relevant to the individual case or matter. 

These include but are not limited to:

• our highways team
• other 91ÖÆƬ³§County 91ÖÆƬ³§ where relevant
• The Planning Inspectorate
• police
• District Councils
• Environment Agency
• Health and Safety Executive
• Natural England
• town and parish Councillors
• Rural Payments Agency
• contractors (processor) where necessary

Information will only ever be shared when it is strictly necessary to help us provide effective services and you may have the right to refuse. We will not pass it onto any other parties unless required to do so by law or in all reasonable circumstances the disclosure is fair and warranted for the purposes of processing or subject to a data protection exemption.

We have specific data sharing agreements in place with local agencies and sometimes the law requires that we may have to pass your details on to a third party, for example, to prevent crime.

If you apply for or submit any of the following your personal details become a matter of public record:

• Public Path Orders
• Definitive Map Modification Orders
• Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Orders
• User Evidence Forms and other statements of use
• Landowner deposits, statements and declarations made under s31(6) of the Highways Act 1980 and s15a of the Commons Act 2006

Many records held by the Public Rights of Way team are retained permanently, including the Definitive Map, modification orders, public path records, applications and orders and Rights of Way deposits made under Highways Act 1980 section 31(6) as part of our Corporate Memory and history of the County.

More information about our retention periods can be found in our summary Disposal Schedule.

Please note stated retention periods may be subject to any legal holds imposed under the Inquiries Act 2005 that may concern the information and override standard retention periods.

You are entitled to a copy, or a description, of the personal data we hold that relates to you, subject to lawful restrictions. Please go to our Make a Data Protection Request webpage to find out how to make a request.

You may be entitled to rectification, restriction, objection, and erasure of your personal information depending on the service and legal basis. Please in the first instance contact countryside@worcestershire.gov.uk or by phone 01905 845617.

Please see our overarching Privacy Notice for further contact details and if you have a complaint about your information rights.