Privacy Policy
cornwall.uk — https://cornwall.uk
Last updated: 17 June 2026
1. Introduction
This privacy and cookies policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you use cornwall.uk (the “Site”).
The Site is an information and promotion website about Cornwall as a place to live, work, visit, study and invest. It is aimed at residents, businesses, visitors and investors.
We are committed to protecting your privacy. We will only use your personal information in the ways described in this policy. We do not sell your personal data.
This policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions.
If you have questions about this policy or how we use your information, please contact us using the details in section 16.
2. Who is responsible for your information?
The data controller for personal information collected through this Site is:
Cornwall Council
New County Hall
Treyew Road
Truro
TR1 3AY
Cornwall Council’s data protection registration number with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is Z1745294.
For data protection enquiries relating to this Site, you can contact our data protection lead:
Email: Kieran.Read@cornwall.gov.uk
The Site is developed and maintained on behalf of Cornwall Council and its partners. Operational questions about the website may also be directed to the contact details on our Contact page.
3. What this policy covers
This policy applies to personal information we collect when you:
- browse or use the Site;
- subscribe to our email newsletter;
- contact us (for example via email or a contact form, when available);
- interact with our cookie consent banner.
This policy does not apply to:
- other websites you reach by following links from the Site (each has its own privacy policy);
- social media platforms where we may have a presence;
- services provided by Cornwall Council or other organisations outside this Site.
Public user accounts: The Site does not offer public registration or login. The only user accounts are for authorised website administrators who manage content behind the scenes.
4. What personal information we collect
The personal information we collect depends on how you use the Site.
4.1 Information you give us
| When | What we may collect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter signup | Email address | To send you news and updates about Cornwall, if you have asked to receive them |
| Contact form / email (when available) | Name, email address, message content, and any other information you choose to provide | To respond to your enquiry |
| Accessibility or feedback tools (if used) | Information you submit | To improve the Site |
We ask you to provide only the information we need. Please do not send us sensitive personal information (such as health or financial details) unless we specifically ask for it and explain why it is needed.
4.2 Information collected automatically
When you visit the Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect technical information such as:
- IP address (which may be shortened or anonymised for analytics);
- browser type and version;
- device type and operating system;
- pages visited, time spent on pages, and how you navigated the Site;
- referring website or search terms (where available);
- date and time of your visit.
This information is usually collected through cookies and similar technologies. See section 6.
We do not use this automatically collected information to identify you by name, unless you have also provided personal information (for example by signing up to the newsletter).
5. Why we use your information and our legal bases
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to use your personal information. Depending on the activity, we rely on one or more of the following:
| Purpose | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Running and securing the Site | Legitimate interests — to operate a public information website securely and effectively |
| Newsletter | Consent — you choose to subscribe and can unsubscribe at any time |
| Responding to enquiries | Legitimate interests — to respond to messages you send us; or Consent where you submit a form |
| Analytics (non-essential cookies) | Consent — only where you agree via our cookie banner |
| Legal or regulatory requirements | Legal obligation — if we are required to disclose information by law |
You can withdraw consent at any time where we rely on it (for example newsletter or analytics cookies). This does not affect processing that has already taken place.
6. Cookies and similar technologies
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your computer, tablet or phone when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work, remember preferences, and understand how visitors use a site.
How we use cookies on this Site
We use a cookie consent banner when you first visit the Site. Non-essential cookies are only set if you accept them.
Strictly necessary cookies
These are required for the Site to function. They do not require consent under UK law. They may include:
| Cookie / purpose | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Cookie consent | Remembers whether you have accepted or dismissed the cookie notice |
| WordPress / security | Supports basic site operation, security and spam prevention |
| Hosting / caching | Used by our hosting provider to deliver pages efficiently and securely (for example LiteSpeed or similar caching cookies) |
These cookies do not identify you personally for marketing purposes.
Analytics cookies (optional)
If you consent, we may use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics via Google Site Kit) to understand how visitors use the Site — for example which pages are popular and whether users can find what they need.
Where analytics is enabled:
- we use aggregated, anonymised or pseudonymised data where possible;
- IP addresses may be anonymised on activation;
- we do not use analytics data to identify you personally.
You can refuse analytics cookies via the cookie banner or change your browser settings.
Functionality cookies (optional)
If used in future, these would remember choices you make (for example accessibility preferences). We will update this policy if we add them.
Third-party cookies
Some content on the Site may be provided by third parties (for example embedded maps or videos). Those services may set their own cookies. We do not control third-party cookies. Please check the privacy policies of those services.
Managing cookies
You can:
- use our cookie banner when you first visit the Site;
- change your browser settings to block or delete cookies (ICO guidance on cookies);
- use browser “Do Not Track” or similar features (effectiveness varies by browser).
Blocking all cookies may affect how the Site works.
7. Newsletter
If you sign up to our newsletter, we collect your email address and the date and time you subscribed.
We use this information to send you news and updates about Cornwall that you have asked to receive.
Signups are stored in the website’s database. We may in future use a third-party email service (such as Mailchimp) to manage subscriptions. If we do, we will update this policy and ensure appropriate contracts are in place.
You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any newsletter email, or by contacting us (section 16). We will stop sending you marketing emails promptly after you unsubscribe.
8. Contact and enquiries
If you contact us by email or through a contact form on the Site, we use the information you provide only to deal with your enquiry and keep a record if needed.
We do not use enquiry information for unrelated marketing unless you have clearly agreed to that separately.
9. Links to other websites
The Site contains links to external websites (for example partner organisations, government services, tourism sites, and businesses). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites.
Please read the privacy policy of any site you visit before submitting personal information.
10. Who we share your information with
We do not sell or rent your personal information.
We may share information with:
| Recipient | Why |
|---|---|
| Website hosting and IT providers | To host, maintain, secure and back up the Site (for example Krystal Onyx / SiteGround and related infrastructure) |
| Email / newsletter providers | If we use a third-party service to send newsletters (only if you have subscribed) |
| Analytics providers | If you consent to analytics cookies (for example Google) |
| Professional advisers | Where required (for example legal or technical advice) |
| Law enforcement or regulators | Where we are legally required to do so |
We require service providers who handle personal data on our behalf to protect it appropriately and use it only for the purposes we specify, in line with UK data protection law.
We do not routinely transfer personal data outside the UK. If any provider processes data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (for example UK adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses).
11. How long we keep your information
We keep personal information only for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy.
| Type of information | Typical retention |
|---|---|
| Newsletter email address | Until you unsubscribe, plus a short period to process your request |
| Contact / enquiry messages | Up to 2 years after the enquiry is closed, unless a longer period is needed for legal reasons |
| Analytics data | According to the analytics tool’s settings (often 14–26 months for aggregated data) |
| Server / security logs | Short fixed periods as determined by our hosting provider |
| Cookie consent records | As long as needed to honour your choice |
When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it securely.
12. How we keep your information secure
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including:
- hosting on secure, professionally managed servers;
- HTTPS encryption for data in transit;
- access controls so only authorised administrators can access website systems and stored signups;
- regular software updates and security monitoring.
No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
13. Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal information, including the right to:
- be informed — through policies like this one;
- access — request a copy of personal information we hold about you;
- rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate information;
- erasure — ask us to delete your information in certain circumstances (“right to be forgotten”);
- restrict processing — ask us to limit how we use your information in certain cases;
- object — object to processing based on legitimate interests;
- withdraw consent — where we rely on consent (for example newsletter or analytics cookies);
- data portability — receive certain information in a structured, machine-readable format where applicable.
To exercise any of these rights, contact Kieran.Read@cornwall.gov.uk. We will respond within one month in most cases.
We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will not charge a fee unless your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
14. Complaints
We would prefer you to contact us first so we can try to resolve your concern.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes to the Site, our practices, or the law. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do.
Significant changes may be highlighted on the Site. Please check this page periodically.
16. Contact us
Data protection contact (Cornwall Council)
Email: Kieran.Read@cornwall.gov.uk
General website enquiries
Use our Contact page or the details published there.