Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has admitted a data breach in which some locals’ information was sent out on an email.
The Town Hall issued a statement on the breach, which it says has affected a ‘limited number of individuals’ personal data’.
As well as apologising, Tom Shardlow, the council’s chief executive, said that an investigation is now underway into the ‘disappointing’ incident.
In a statement, the council said that on Monday night (July 27), an email was sent to electors who had provided emails to the council’s elections team, inviting them to check the information held for their property and confirm or update those details as part of the annual canvas.
But the Town Hall said that, due to an ‘administrative error’, the email contained a link that revealed the recipient’s forename, surname, email address, and household-specific unique code.
It says that as soon as the error was identified, officers took immediate action to investigate the cause and disable access to the affected link.
The council has said that those impacted by the data breach have been contacted and the incident was raised with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
‘Sincere apologies’
Tom Shardlow said “The council is required to update the electoral register periodically, and it is clear that, on this occasion, an unfortunate human error occurred during that process.
“I am disappointed that this error has happened and would like to offer my sincere apologies to those residents who have been affected and may be concerned by this incident. I am confident that this is an isolated incident.
“I want to reassure residents and elected members that the Council takes its responsibilities for protecting personal information extremely seriously. We are committed to treating residents’ data with the utmost care and respect at all times.
“I am reassured that, as soon as the issue was identified, officers acted swiftly to contain it, investigate the cause, and contact those affected. The council has also reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office and followed the advice provided.
“A thorough review is now underway to understand exactly how this error occurred and, most importantly, to identify any additional safeguards needed to prevent a similar incident from happening again.”
He continued: “While we recognise that this breach will understandably cause concern for some residents, we would like to reassure the public that the issue has been contained and that protecting residents’ information remains a priority for the council.”
Residents with any concerns or questions are being urged to contact the Data Protection Officer by email at dpo@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk.
Locals are being urged to be vigilant for any unexpected emails and should report any suspicious communications that appear to relate to electoral registration or request personal information.
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