Privacy and personal information
Cessnock City Council has an obligation to protect the privacy of its customers.
Our Privacy Statement explains how your personal information (information that can identify you as an individual) is used, stored and accessed after it's collected by us. It also informs Council staff of their obligations in handling your information and specifies when they can and cannot disclose, use or collect it.
To request a review of a Council decision relating to personal or health information, please complete an application for internal review.
What happens when you call Council?
When you contact Council’s Customer Relations team by phone your call may be recorded. Information you provide to us will be collected, held, used and/or disclosed for the following purposes:
a) to assist you with your enquiry,
b) for quality assurance and training purposes,
c) for complaint handling,
d) to contact you in relation to continuous improvement of Council’s operations and services,
e) and for any other purpose outlined in Council’s Privacy Management Plan.
Recordings are stored on Council’s computer server within Council’s phone system for a period of 12 months, unless retained. Council’s servers are held at 62-78 Vincent Street, Cessnock 2325. Please refer to the 'Amending and accessing your personal information section' below for more information on how to access your personal information Council holds.
For the security of our customers, payment transaction information is not recorded – the call is paused in order for the customer to provide this information and the call is resume after this information is provided.
If you do not consent to having your call recorded, please advise the Customer Relations team member you are speaking to that you opt out. If you do opt out, Council will still handle and manage your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Management Plan as legally required, but not for the purposes listed in c) and d) above.
Amending and accessing your personal information
How do I change my name on Council records?
If you are a property owner within the Cessnock Local Government Area (LGA), you will need to change your name with the NSW Land Registry Services who will advise us to update our records accordingly.
If you do not own property in the Cessnock LGA please complete the Request to Amend Personal Information form. We will need your previous name in full and your new name in full in order to update our records accurately. Please include a scanned copy of your supporting legal document, such as a wedding certificate.
How do I change my email or phone number on Council records?
You can advise Council of a change to your contact phone number or email address by completing this form.
How do I change my postal address for property I own (where my rates notice goes)?
To change the postal address of a rates notice you must be the owner of the property and have consent from all other owners of the same property. Written advice will also be accepted from authorised parties, for example Power of Attorney (copy must be supplied) or Real Estate Managing Agents.
Please complete the update of your details here.
How do I change my residential address (where I live) on Council records?
Moving house? You can let Council know by completing this form.
How do I access my personal information Council has?
To access your personal information held by Council, which may include information about your identity or health, please complete the Access Personal Information form.
How do I lodge a request for internal review – privacy and personal information protection complaint?
You have the right to seek an internal review under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (PPIP Act) if you believe Council has not processed your application under the PIPP or Health Records Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) (HRIP Act) properly, or you believe Council has breached the PPIP Act or HRIP Act relating to your personal and/or health information.
Council, however, welcomes the opportunity to discuss any privacy issues you may have. You are encouraged to try to resolve privacy issues with Council informally before lodging an internal review.
You can raise your concerns by contacting the Privacy Contact Officer, making a complaint directly to the Privacy Commissioner, or using Council's complaint handling process.
If you need assistance in filling out this form, or more information on privacy, please visit the Council's privacy page for more information or visit Council's Administration Building.
Please note: It is not a requirement under the PPIP Act or the HRIP Act that you complete an application form. This form is designed to assist us in correctly identifying the nature of the conduct you are complaining about and determine whether a breach has occurred.
If you choose not to complete this form, you must still make a written request for an internal review and describe the conduct in sufficient detail to allow us to determine if there has been a breach.
You can write to us at:
Privacy Contact Officer
Cessnock City Council
62-78 Vincent Street
Cessnock NSW 2325
OR
PO BOX 152
Cessnock NSW 2325
OR
council@cessnock.nsw.gov.au