Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2025

1. Who We Are

This petition website is operated by the Save St Malachy's Primary School Campaign Committee. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK data protection laws.

2. What Information We Collect

When you sign our petition, we collect the following information:

• Required Information: Your name, address, and signature
• Optional Information: Email address, phone number, and any comments you choose to provide
• Technical Information: IP address (anonymized after 30 days), browser type, and timestamp of submission

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for the specific purpose of this petition campaign
• Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate interest in collecting petition signatures to represent community views to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)

4. How We Use Your Information

Your personal data is used solely for the following purposes:

• Submitting your petition signature to CCMS as part of our formal objection to the school closure proposal
• Demonstrating community support for keeping St Malachy's Primary School open
• Providing you with updates about the campaign (only if you have provided your email address and consented)
• Verifying the authenticity of petition signatures if required

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We will only share your information in the following circumstances:

• CCMS Submission: Your name, address, and signature will be submitted to CCMS as part of our formal petition
• Legal Requirements: If required by law or legal process
• Campaign Committee: Authorized members of the campaign steering committee may access petition data for legitimate campaign purposes

We will never: Sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for commercial purposes.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:

• Data is stored on secure servers with encryption
• Access is restricted to authorized campaign committee members only
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• IP addresses are anonymized after 30 days

7. Data Retention

We will retain your personal data for the following periods:

• Petition Signatures: Until the campaign concludes and any appeals process is complete (estimated 12 months maximum)
• Email Communications: Until you unsubscribe or the campaign ends
• Technical Data: IP addresses are anonymized after 30 days

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to our legitimate interests in the campaign)
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of how we process your data
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time (though this may affect your petition signature)

9. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses minimal cookies and tracking:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics: We may use privacy-focused analytics to understand website usage (no personal identification)
• No Third-Party Tracking: We do not use advertising cookies or social media tracking pixels

10. Children's Privacy

This petition is intended for adults (18+) or parents/guardians signing on behalf of their family. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without parental consent.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any significant changes will be communicated through our website and email (if you have subscribed to updates).

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

13. Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal data properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

ICO Website: ico.org.uk
ICO Helpline: 0303 123 1113

This privacy policy is designed to be transparent and compliant with GDPR requirements. By signing our petition, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.