What this Privacy policy covers:

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is the data controller (referred to in this notice as ‘we’ or ‘us’) of your personal data for the purposes of applicable data protection legislation.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at:
 The Data Protection Officer
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Room 110
Town Hall
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN1 1RS

Telephone: – 01892 554077
 E–Mail:– dataprotection@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

We are committed to doing the right thing when it comes to how we collect, use and protect your personal data. This privacy notice:

  • Explains how and why we collect and use your personal data
  • Sets out the types of data we collect
  • Explains when and why we will share personal data and with other organisations
  • Explains the rights and choices you have when it comes to your personal data

The purpose of processing your personal data is to administer the arrangement of a cremation, or burial, dedication of a commemorative product provided by us or the placement of a cemetery memorial upon a grave or any material changes to the same registered in your name.

  1. Cremation
    In the case of providing and arranging a Cremation, your name and address (as the applicant for the Cremation) must be provided and recorded in the Cremation Register as set out in The Cremation Regulations 2008 (Part 7) (Regulation 32(1)). Whilst not a public document, we, as the Cremation Authority may open the Cremation Registers to any person, as well as issue to any person a copy , or an extract from the same or a document.
  2. Burial including the placement of a Memorial Headstone on a Grave
    In the case of providing and arranging a Burial, your name and address (as the Registered Owner or purchaser of the Exclusive Rights of Burial) to a grave must be provided and recorded in the Burial Registers as required by The Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (as amended 1986) Article 11(1). The Burial Registers are a public document as provided under The Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (as amended 1986) Article 11(11), “…and shall at all reasonable times be open to inspection by any person free of charge.”
  3. Dedication of a Commemorative Product
    Where you have requested and paid for any of the products we currently offer to the bereaved we will require your name and address, contact telephone number and e–mail address for the purpose of ordering the requested product and administering its lease period. Without this information we are unable to make this provision to you. In each of the three processes, your personal data may be converted (‘anonymised’) into statistical or aggregated data in such a way as to ensure you are not identified or identified from it. By definition, aggregated data cannot be linked back to you as an individual. This data might be used to undertake research and analysis, including the preparation of statistical research and reports.

We may share personal data with other organisations in the following circumstances:

For law enforcement, regulation and licensing, criminal prosecutions and court proceedings

If we need to share personal data in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights (this includes personal data to others for the purposes of the detection and prevention of fraud).

Maidstone Borough Council stores your information on our behalf. You can view their privacy information in their website’s Privacy Notice page

The Registers of Cremation and Burial are held in perpetuity. All original cremation documentation is held for 15 years from the date of cremation though we may electronically copy and securely destroy it after 2 years.

Unless stipulated elsewhere we will hold your data as long as we need it. Once we no longer need it, we will keep it for a set period (a retention period) but not use it. When the retention period expires we will delete your information from our records. You can review our Retention Schedule in our Data protection and privacy page.