Job applicants privacy notice

This Privacy Notice should be read in conjunction with Colchester City Council’s Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Notice should be read in conjunction with Colchester City Council’s Privacy Policy.

This privacy notice explains how Colchester City Council collects, uses and protects personal data during the recruitment process for job applicants to Colchester City Council, Colchester Commercial Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries.

We are committed to being clear about how we collect and use your personal data, and to meeting our data protection obligations.

What personal data means

Personal data means any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified.

This includes personal identifiers such as your name, identification number, location data or online identifier.

Special category and criminal offence data

Some information used during recruitment may be more sensitive. This may include information about health, disability, equality characteristics and, in limited cases, criminal convictions or checks where these are relevant to the post and permitted by law.

Where we process this information, we will identify a lawful basis under Article 6 of the UK GDPR and an additional condition under Article 9 of the UK GDPR. For criminal offence data, we will identify an appropriate basis under data protection law.

Access to this information will be restricted to those who need it for recruitment purposes.

Information we collect

From 1 July 2026, we use a two-stage application process.

Stage 1

At stage 1, we may collect:

  • your name
  • contact details, such as your email address and phone number
  • details of your qualifications, skills, experience and employment history
  • information about your notice period and reason for leaving previous employment
  • whether you have a disability which meets the criteria of the Disability Confident Scheme, to guarantee you an interview and identify any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process
  • whether you meet the criteria for the Armed Forces Guaranteed Interview Scheme
  • equal opportunities monitoring information, including your date of birth, sex, gender, ethnic origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and criminal convictions
  • information about your entitlement to work in the UK

Stage 2

If you are the preferred candidate, we may collect:

  • your National Insurance number
  • your address
  • information about your entitlement to work in the UK, if not already provided
  • referee details

We collect this information in different ways. This may include application forms, CVs, identity documents, interviews, assessments and online tests.

We may also collect personal data about you from third parties, such as references from former employers and criminal records checks for eligible roles. We will only seek information from third parties once a job offer has been made to you.

Your data may be stored on your application record, in HR management systems and on other IT systems, including email.

Why we use your personal data

We need to process your personal data to take steps at your request before entering into a contract with you. We also need to process your data to enter into a contract with you.

In some cases, we need to process your data to comply with our legal obligations. For example, we are required to check a successful applicant’s eligibility to work in the UK before employment starts.

We also have a legitimate interest in processing personal data during the recruitment process and keeping records of the process. This helps us manage recruitment, assess and confirm your suitability for employment, decide who to offer a job to, and respond to or defend against legal claims.

We may process information about disability to consider reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. This helps us meet our obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.

Where we process other special category data, such as information about ethnic origin, sexual orientation, health, religion or belief, this is for equal opportunities monitoring or as part of a pre-employment questionnaire.

For some eligible roles, we are required to ask about criminal convictions and offences. Where we do this, it is because it is necessary to meet our obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.

We will not use your personal data for any purpose other than the recruitment process for the role you have applied for.

Lawful basis for processing

Our lawful bases under the UK GDPR will usually be:

  • processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract
  • processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation
  • processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority

In limited circumstances, we may also rely on legitimate interests where this is appropriate and lawful, for example to review and improve recruitment processes.

We do not normally rely on consent for core recruitment activities.

Who we may share your information with

Your information will be shared internally for the purposes of the recruitment process. This may include:

  • members of the HR team
  • interviewers involved in the recruitment process
  • senior managers in the service area with a vacancy

If the vacancy is for an apprenticeship, your information may be shared with the apprenticeship provider to assess your eligibility and support the shortlisting process.

We will not share your data with third parties until you have been told you are the preferred candidate.

We will then only share essential data to complete pre-employment checks. This may include sharing information with:

  • former employers or other referees, to obtain references
  • our Occupational Health provider, to assess fitness to work and any reasonable adjustments needed
  • employment background check providers, to complete necessary background checks
  • the Disclosure and Barring Service, through Essex County Council, to complete criminal records checks where appropriate
  • Aaron’s Department, where applicable, for overseas checks relating to criminal convictions

International transfers

We will not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

What happens if you do not provide personal data

You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide data to us during the recruitment process.

However, if you do not provide the information requested, we may not be able to process your application properly or at all.

How long we keep your information

If your application is unsuccessful, we will hold your data on file for 1 year after the end of the relevant recruitment process. At the end of that period, your data will be deleted or destroyed.

If you have registered for an online job applicant account, your account will remain valid until you choose to cancel it.

If your application is successful, personal data gathered during the recruitment process will be transferred to your personnel file and retained during your employment.

The periods for which your data will be held will be provided to you in a new privacy notice.

Your rights

You have rights in relation to your personal data. These include:

  • the right to be informed
  • the right of access
  • the right to rectification
  • the right to erasure, in some circumstances
  • the right to restriction, in some circumstances
  • the right to object, in some circumstances
  • the right to data portability, in some circumstances

These rights are not absolute and may be limited in some situations. This includes where information must be retained to comply with legal obligations, protect the rights of others or where exemptions apply.

If you wish to exercise any of your rights, contact Human Resources or the Data Protection Officer.

How to access the information we hold about you

You are legally entitled to ask to see records we hold about you.

When we receive a written request, we will normally give you access to the information we have recorded about you. However, we will not let you see any parts of your record which contain:

  • confidential information about other people
  • information that may cause serious harm to your or someone else’s physical or mental wellbeing
  • information that may prevent a crime from being prevented or detected

This applies to paper and electronic records.

To request the information we hold about you, visit www.colchester.gov.uk/info or email info@colchester.gov.uk.

How to correct inaccurate information

We try to make sure the personal data we hold about you is correct. If you think the information we hold is inaccurate, contact the department holding the information so that it can be investigated and corrected.

You should also tell us if you disagree with something written on your file.

You may not always be able to change or remove the information. However, we will correct factual inaccuracies and may include your comments in the records.

How we keep your information secure

We take appropriate steps to make sure records about you are held securely, both on paper and electronically.

We will only make records available to people who have a right to see them.

Our security measures include:

  • encryption
  • access controls on systems
  • security training for staff

You can read our Data Protection Policy for more information.

Right to complain

You have the right to complain about any matter relating to our service, including how we use your data.

In the first instance, contact our Data Protection Officer by emailing DPO@colchester.gov.uk.

Where to get advice

If you would like more information, or if you have concerns about how we are handling your personal data, contact the Data Protection Officer.

Email: DPO@colchester.gov.uk

Write to:

Data Protection Officer
ICT
Colchester City Council
Rowan House
33 Sheepen Road
Colchester
CO3 3WG

For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Visit the Information Commissioner’s Office website or email casework@ico.org.uk.

Updates to this privacy notice

We will review and update this privacy notice to reflect changes in our processes and procedures, and to comply with changes in the law.

When changes are made, we will update the “last updated” date on this notice.

We encourage you to review this notice regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information.