Element (14): Shared Information
West Lothian Council follow the Information Commissioners Data Sharing Code of Practice. The council's Records of Processing Activities (ROPA) identify all instances of information sharing between service areas and where information is shared with, or processed by, a third party.
Data sharing arrangements are governed by the council's Data Sharing Code of Practice (opens new window) and in agreements with third parties such as Data Sharing Agreements, Data Processing Agreements and Data Processing Information Handling Standards. Agreements set out the purpose of the data sharing, describe what happens to the data at each stage, define data handling requirements and detail all the parties involved in sharing and their respective roles and responsibilities. Information Sharing Protocols are also established where required to do so.
When undertaking any new data sharing activity, the council complete Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs). DPIAs ensure that data is shared fairly and lawfully, that appropriate transparency measures are in place, such as, Privacy Notices and that perceived risks are identified and mitigated. Privacy Notices are available on the council's data protection web page.
The council's guide to the Publication Scheme describes the information that we routinely publish and what information may be used and shared by anyone without restrictions.
