Leading Councillor Told ‘No Further Action’ Over Alleged Data Breach

Published on: 29 Aug, 2019
Updated on: 30 Aug, 2019

Cllrs Susan Parker and Council Leader Caroline Reeves

In an apparent climbdown, within 36 hours of a lead councillor being told by the council leader she must resign from the Executive or face suspension because of a data breach, the acting GBC data protection officer has informed the councillor there will be no further action on the complaint.

The data protection officer wrote to Cllr Susan Parker:

Dear Cllr Parker

Your correspondence has been passed to me in my capacity as Council Data Protection Officer, having just returned from leave today.

The data subject in this case is land owner [name removed] who is referred to in an email dated 17th August, which you then forwarded to a number of council staff. There was a number of responses which became part of a longer chain of emails and was eventually forwarded to a number of individuals, (one of whom was Martin Giles of The Guildford Dragon) on 21st August at 16:12.

Under Data Protection law the name or personal details of a private individual should generally not be passed on to a third party unless that individual has provided his or her consent or if certain conditions apply – eg performance of a public task. The correspondence in question relates to a planning enforcement case, and such cases are dealt with in a confidential way and not disclosed to the public unless the case reaches appeal.

However, I accept that this individual’s name was not published, so we believe that no further action is necessary at this stage.

Please let me know if you require any further clarification.

Regards

Ciaran Ward

Information Rights Officer & Acting Data Protection Officer

Guildford Borough Council

Cllr Parker is now asking for a public announcement and retraction of the complaint. A council press release issued on Tuesday evening and read out at the Executive meeting said: “The leader of the council, Cllr Caroline Reeves, has announced the resignation of Cllr Susan Parker from the Guildford Borough Council Executive today (27 August) in light of questions over conduct.”

She wrote to the acting data protection officer: “I presume therefore that Guildford Borough Council will be issuing a public clarification, and retracting the complaint to the Information Commissioner?

“I would also like this to be made clear to all recipients of the original press announcement, which had defamatory implications.

“Frankly, I think I am owed a public apology since the public has been informed that there is a question about my conduct, which is clearly not the case.”

Responses to Leading Councillor Told ‘No Further Action’ Over Alleged Data Breach

George Potter Reply

August 29, 2019 at 10:57 am

The reason that no further action is being taken, according to this article, is because The Dragon did not publish the confidential information which it had been sent by Susan Parker.

That sounds rather different from Cllr Parker’s claim that she did nothing wrong.
- Lisa Wright Reply
  
  August 29, 2019 at 5:16 pm
  
  No further action is being taken, so in my view, this whole mess seems to have been either a very poor error of judgement or a PR stunt.
  
  It shows very poor leadership and time for yet another change to someone who can actually lead by example.
Adam Aaronson Reply

August 29, 2019 at 5:16 pm

This seems to be an area where Cllr Potter seems to have considerable expertise and specialist knowledge. Perhaps it would be helpful if he could explain a little more clearly what he believes Cllr Parker has done that is wrong.
John Powell Reply

August 30, 2019 at 8:51 am

My feeling is that Cllr Susan Parker was seeking to highlight an issue for the information and benefit of Surrey residents.

She was seeing to inform and clearly was not seeking any personal advantage.

In my view, she is owed an apology and should be reinstated.
Martin Dowland Reply

August 31, 2019 at 11:36 am

This sorry incident would not have happened, had the leadership shown a better grip on the issues affecting Guildford. These were highlighted prior to, and during, the elections in May, when voters demonstrated a clear discomfort with the existing council, its anti-environmental policies and a disregard for the public voice, notably, the volume of constructive objection to the flaws in the Local Plan.

We have many good talented new councillors and a few from before who need to be heard more. Yet, we are stuck with the spectre of the old.

I would like to see Cllr Susan Parker restored, or replaced with another talented member who will stand up for the wave of objection to the squandering of the environment.