1. Introduction

This privacy notice explains the way in which we (the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales) will handle your personal information when you visit our website.

This part of the privacy notice explains:

• What information we collect
• The legal basis for processing your information
• Protecting your information
• How long we keep your information
• Your data protection rights

2.  What information we collect and why

When you visit our website, we collect some information automatically that helps us to maintain and monitor the performance of our website.  This helps us to improve your experience of using our website.

Cookies

Our website, like most, put small files, known as cookies, onto your computer, tablet or smartphone. Cookies help to make your experience of our website better.  Our websites use cookies to:

• Remember who you are which helps when you are filling out forms.
• Remember your settings so you do not have to keep changing them. For example, when you change the size or colour of text.
• See how people use our site so we can improve it.

We use Google Analytics to collect standard Internet log information and details about how visitors to our website use it.  Our cookies aren’t used to identify you personally, they are just there to help make our website work better for you. Read more about how we use cookies, and how to change your cookies preferences and/or delete cookies in our Cookies Policy.

Browsealoud

You can choose to use Browsealoud to have the content on our website read aloud by click on the ReachDeck toolbar at the top of our website.  You can use the service to simplify and adjust the site and translate the text into different languages.  When you click on the Browsealoud button this raises a request for the content to be translated.  The content is automatically sent securely to Texthelp Ltd so that it can be converted into audio.  Browsealoud does not collect or store any identifiable information about you.

3.  The lawful basis for processing your information

We will need your consent to collect some information, such as when you agree for the use of optional cookies.  However, when the processing is necessary for the security and integrity of our website we rely on our legitimate interests.

When you submit a complaint through our website the processing is necessary for us to perform a task in the public interest.

4.  Protecting your information

We take steps to protect your personal information.  You can read about the steps we take in the General Information section of our privacy notice.

5.  How long we keep your information

We will keep the information only for as long as we need it and will depend on what it is being used for.  We have published our record retention schedule on our website.  If you would like us to send you a copy, please let us know.

6.  Your data protection rights

As we are processing your personal data for our legitimate interests, you have the right to object to our processing of your personal data. There are legitimate reasons why we may refuse your objection, which depend on why we are processing it.  Read more about how we use your personal information from our main privacy notice.  This also tells you more about your data protection rights.

If you are unhappy with the way in which we have used your information you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).