Privacy Statement

Last updated: 11 November 2025

1. Introduction

North Somerset Film Office operates the website https://www.northsomersetfilmoffice.co.uk/. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy in accordance with UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This privacy statement explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our website or services.

Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal information is:

North Somerset Council
Town Hall
Walliscote Grove Road
Weston-super-Mare
BS23 1UJ

Email: filmoffice@n-somerset.gov.uk

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal information:

2.1 Location/Property Registration

When you register a location or property with us, we collect:

• Location details including name, address, postcode, telephone, email, and website
• Ownership details including name, title/responsibility, address (if different from location address), and contact details (phone and email)
• Details and contact information of the location representative (when different from the owner)
• Specific details and characteristics of the location
• Photographs and descriptions of your location

2.2 Film Permit Applications

When you apply for a film permit through FilmApp, we collect:

• Project title and type
• Production details including crew size, budget information, and project origin
• Production contact details
• Applicant and production company details
• Supporting documents (such as public liability insurance, risk assessments, and method statements)
• Filming location and date information
• Any additional information you provide about your production

2.3 General Inquiries

When you contact us with inquiries, we collect:

• Your name, email address, and contact details
• Any information you choose to provide in your inquiry

2.4 Website Analytics and Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website. This includes:

• Google Analytics 4 for website usage statistics
• Google Tag Manager for managing website tags
• Font Awesome for displaying content

For detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage them, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

3.1 Location Database

Legal basis: Legitimate interests
We maintain a database of filming locations to connect production companies with suitable locations in North Somerset. Location owners register voluntarily to promote their properties for filming opportunities.

3.2 Film Permit Processing

Legal basis: Contract and legal obligation
We process film permit applications to grant permission for filming activities in North Somerset. This is necessary to fulfill our agreement with production companies and to meet our responsibilities as a local authority.

3.3 Responding to Inquiries

Legal basis: Legitimate interests
We use your contact information to respond to your inquiries and provide information about our services.

3.4 Website Improvement

Legal basis: Legitimate interests (with your consent for non-essential cookies)
We use analytics to understand how visitors use our website and to improve our online services.

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your personal information with the following third parties:

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

• FilmApp (Apply4): We use FilmApp to process film permit applications. FilmApp is a UK-based service. For information about how they process your data, please see their privacy policy.
• LocationDB: We embed LocationDB on our website to display our location database. LocationDB is a UK-based service. For information about how they process your data, please see their privacy policy.
• Google Analytics and Tag Manager: For website analytics purposes. These services may transfer data internationally in accordance with their privacy policies.

4.2 Public Authorities and Partner Organizations

Where necessary for processing film permits, we may share relevant information with:

• North Somerset Council departments (such as Highways, Parking Services, and Parks)
• Emergency services and other statutory authorities where required
• Filming in England for regional production reporting and support

We only share the minimum information necessary for these purposes.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy statement:

• Location registrations: We retain location information for as long as you wish to remain on our database. You may request removal at any time.
• Film permit applications: We retain permit records for up to 7 years in accordance with local authority retention schedules.
• General inquiries: We retain correspondence for as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry and for record-keeping purposes, typically up to 2 years.
• Website analytics: Analytics data is retained in accordance with our cookie settings and Google's retention policies.

6. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to erasure: You can request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your information in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: You can request a copy of your information in a commonly used format.
• Right to object: You can object to our processing of your information based on legitimate interests.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at filmoffice@n-somerset.gov.uk. We will respond to your request within one month.

7. Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and have implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Privacy Statement

We may update this privacy statement from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the updated statement on our website with a new "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this statement periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy statement or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

North Somerset Film Office
North Somerset Council
Town Hall
Walliscote Grove Road
Weston-super-Mare
BS23 1UJ

Email: filmoffice@n-somerset.gov.uk

12. Right to Complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk