Privacy Policy

We take our obligations under the Data Protection Act very seriously. The information you provide on your registration form will be subject to rigorous measures and procedures to make sure that it cannot be seen, accessed or disclosed to anyone who should not see it.

Digital Enterprise Privacy Statement

1. Who We Are

The Digital Enterprise programme is a business support initiative coordinated and delivered by Leeds City Council (“the Council”) and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Gainshare funding as part of the West Yorkshire Devolution Deal, via the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (“the Combined Authority”). Private sector organisations may also contribute funding.

Under this funding agreement, the Council is responsible for managing the programme and monitoring the use of grant funding in compliance with UK data protection laws.

2. Data Controller Contact Details

Leeds City Council is the Data Controller of the programme. If you have any questions, please contact:

Digital Enterprise Team
Email: digitalenterprise@leeds.gov.uk
Phone: 0113 336 8614

You may also contact our Data Protection Officer:
Aaron Linden
Head of Information Management and Governance – DPO
Email: DPO@leeds.gov.uk
Leeds City Council, Merrion House, 110 Merrion Way, Leeds, LS2 8BB

3. Why We Collect Your Data?

We collect your personal data to:

  • Assess eligibility for the Digital Enterprise programme
  • Provide grant support and business services
  • Monitor the use and impact of funding
  • Meet legal and regulatory reporting obligations
  • Prevent fraud and crime
  • Contact you about relevant business support (if you have given consent)

4. What Personal Data We Collect

Depending on your involvement in the programme, we may collect the following:

  • Name, address (business/personal), postcode
  • Phone number and email address
  • Gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, disability status
  • Labour market status before and after support
  • Duration and intensity of support received
  • Pay details (if required for funding evaluation)
  • Business data: turnover, number of employees, etc.

5. Legal Basis for Processing Your Data

Your data is processed under the following legal bases:

  • Public Task (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e)): To deliver services in the public interest and in the exercise of official authority vested in Leeds City Council.
  • Substantial Public Interest (Article 9(2)(g) for special category data): Supported by Schedule 1 Part 2, paragraph 6 of the Data Protection Act 2018.
  • Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): For sending you marketing or wider business support information. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

Leeds City Council has prepared an Appropriate Policy Document, overseen by the Data Protection Officer, which sets out how we comply with data protection principles when processing special category data. This includes our retention policies, legal bases, and safeguards.

6. How We Use and Share Your Data

Leeds City Council is required to share some of your information with the Combined Authority, who may also need to share it with government departments, and bodies acting on its behalf.

The Council will also share aggregated special category data on ethnicity and disability with the Combined Authority in order to report on achieving objectives in relation to equality diversity and inclusivity of the communities we serve.

In addition to sharing your data with the Combined Authority, the Council will share your data with agencies shown below as follows:

a. Contractors providing IT services

b. Funding bodies

c. Government departments and representatives working on their behalf, for example HMRC, DWP and DBT

d. Other local authorities

e. Partner organisations

In addition, we will share your personal data:

  • where such disclosure is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person
  • for the purposes of security and prevention of fraud and other criminal activity
  • where such disclosure is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims, whether in court proceedings or in an administrative or out-of-court procedure

The purpose of sharing your data is to deliver the programme, to increase your businesses enterprise prospects and to measure the impact and success of the project. Any sharing with third parties is subject to robust information sharing arrangements under the contracts / or Funding Agreements.

7. Where and How Your Data is Stored

Your information is securely stored by Leeds City Council and its partners. It will be retained for 10 years after the end of the programme (until 2037) in accordance with our retention schedule.

8. Your Data Protection Rights

You have the following rights over your personal data:

  • Right to be informed about how your data is used
  • Right of access to the personal data we hold
  • Right to rectification of inaccurate data
  • Right to erasure (in some circumstances)
  • Right to restrict processing (in some circumstances)
  • Right to data portability (for consent-based data)
  • Right to object to processing
  • Right to withdraw consent (for marketing or optional data)
  • Right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

Note: Some rights do not apply where data is processed under the public task basis (e.g., erasure and portability).

Learn more: Leeds Council Privacy Notice or the ICO Website

9. Automated Decision-Making

We do not use automated decision-making to make decisions that affect you.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data will not be transferred outside the United Kingdom. If this changes, appropriate safeguards will be put in place, and you will be notified.

For questions or to exercise your rights, please email:
digitalenterprise@leeds.gov.uk or DPO@leeds.gov.uk

Our Partners and Funders

Digital Enterprise is funded by the UK Government and supported by the following organisations