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UKSPF National Case Study Evaluation – Privacy Notice

  • Writer: Wavehill
    Wavehill
  • Nov 21, 2024
  • 6 min read

Updated: Jun 5

This Wavehill research study and your personal data

  • UKSPF place based case studies commissioned by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

  • MHCLG is the data controller. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk


This privacy notice explains who we are, the personal data we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what your legal rights are.


About Wavehill

Wavehill Limited are a specialist research and evaluation consultancy and member of the UK Evaluation Society and Social Research Association. As such we abide by the SRA Code of Conduct and associated regulations and guidelines. Wavehill has been contracted to deliver Case Study evaluations in the South West of England and all of Wales in partnership with Ipsos UK who are leading on the national evaluation on behalf of MHCLG.

 

About the study

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) is a central pillar of the UK government’s ambitious agenda and a significant component of support for places. It provides £2.6 billion of funding to local authorities in the UK for local investment for the period 2022 to March 2025, with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the fund via a funding formula. UKSPF funding is allocated straight to local areas and can be used to support a wide range of activities and outcomes that broadly fall into three main investment priorities:



  • Communities and Place;

  • Supporting Local Businesses; and

  • People and Skills.


    The overarching objectives of the UKSPF are to improve life chances in a local area and to support the local economic performance, namely:


  • Increase Pride in Place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community.

  • Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging.

  • Spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest.

  • Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost.

  • Empower local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency.


MHCLG’s personal information charter has more information about your rights in relation to your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer. You can view it at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-housing-communities-local-government/about/personal-information-charter.

 

What personal data has Wavehill received for this study?

  • Wavehill has your personal data because we have been asked by MHCLG (the “Client”), with the consent of the Lead Local Authority (LLA) for each case study area, to carry out an anonymous research study on their behalf.

  • The LLA has shared a limited amount of your personal data so that we can invite you to take part in this research study.

  • The personal data that the LLA has shared with us for this study includes:

o   Your name, organisation & job title

o   Your email address

o   Your telephone number


What is Wavehill’s legal basis for processing your personal data?

  • Wavehill requires a legal basis to process your personal data.  Wavehill’s legal basis for processing is your consent to take part in this research study.  If you wish to withdraw your consent at any time, please see the section below covering ‘Your Rights’.

 

How will Wavehill use any personal data including interview/survey responses you provide?

  • Firstly, responding to this study is entirely voluntary and any answers are given with your consent.

  • Wavehill will keep your personal data and responses in strict confidence in accordance with this privacy notice and you will only be identifiable to the client if you consent.

  • We will only share material(s) with the Project Team; the Project Team is the Wavehill Project Team and supplier organisations working on this project.

  • Wavehill and the client will only use your personal data and responses solely for research and analysis purposes.


Who we share your data with?

  • Wavehill will be using certain supplier organisations and partners to assist in running this study and we will need to disclose your personal data to these supplier organisations for that purpose. These supplier organisations include:

o   Large Language Models (Artificial Intelligence e.g. Open AI) using a dedicated environment.

o   Dedicated subcontractors who are bound by the terms of the contract and this privacy notice

o   Partner organisations in the MHCLG contract including Ipsos UK.


How long will Wavehill retain your personal data and identifiable responses?

  • Wavehill will only retain your data in a way that can identify you for as long as is necessary to support the research project and findings. 

  • Your personal details used to invite you take part is this market research study, will be securely deleted from our systems once the study and any quality control checks are complete; this is usually carried out within three months of project close.

  • If you are identifiable in recorded focus group footage, it may be necessary to retain this material securely for a period of up to one year, after which it will be securely removed from our system.

  • Your personal information will be kept on secure IT system at Wavehill and destroyed within 12 months after the research has been completed. For this project we will securely remove your personal data from our systems by 12/2026.

  • Whilst we may ask your consent to turn on the camera during any online fieldwork, you are under no obligation to do so; we will not use the video footage for anything it is purely for the purpose of the Wavehill interviewer and the research participant to be able to see each other whilst on the call.


Your rights

  • You have the right to access your personal data within the limited period that Wavehill holds it.

  • If you want to contact the client about data they hold about you, please see the client’s contact details below.

  • Providing responses to this study is entirely voluntary and is done with your consent.  You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time whilst we hold your personal data at an identifiable level.

  • You also have the right to request from us the deletion or erasure of the personal information we hold about you.

  • You also have the right to rectify any incorrect or out-of-date personal data about you which we may hold.

  • If you want to exercise your rights, please contact us at the below Wavehill address.

  • If you have any complaints, we will appreciate if you give us an opportunity to resolve any issue first, by contacting us as set out below. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you have concerns on how we have processed your personal data. You can find details about how to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/global/make-a-complaint/. 

 

Where will your personal data be held & processed?

  • All of your personal data used and collected for this survey will be stored and processed in the United Kingdom and the European Union.

 

Automated decision making

  • We will not use your data for any automated decision making.

 

How will Wavehill ensure your personal information is secure?

  • Wavehill takes its information security responsibilities seriously and applies various precautions to ensure your information is protected from loss, theft or misuse.  Security precautions include appropriate physical security of offices and controlled and limited access to computer systems.

  • Wavehill has regular internal and external audits of its information security controls and working practices and is accredited to the International Standard for Information Security, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certified.


How can you contact Wavehill & Client about this study and/or your personal data?

When we ask you for information, we will keep to the law, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation. If you would like to contact us about your personal data, please use the following contacts:


  • Contact Wavehill:

 

Email: Stuart Merali-Younger at stuart.merali-younger@wavehill.com with “UKSPF Place Based Case Studies” in the email subject line

 

Post:                    

Louise Petrie, Data Protection Officer

Wavehill Ltd

21 Alban Square

Aberaeron

SA6 0DB

United Kingdom

 

  • Contact MHCLG:

 

Email: Thomas Odell at thomas.odell@communities.gov.uk and dataprotection@communities.gov.uk with “23-010932-01: UKSPF Place Based Case Studies” in the email subject line

 

Post:                    


23-010932-01: UKSPF Place Based Case Studies

     Data Protection Officer,

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government,

Fry Building,

2 Marsham Street,

London

SW1P 4DF

UK

 

If you are still not happy, or for independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing, you can contact:

 

The Information Commissioner's Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745 https://ico.org.uk/

 

Int. Ref. 732-23

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