The purpose of this page is to explain how we use the personal data you provide us with during Blue Badge applications and renewals. For any questions relating to outstanding Blue Badge applications or general Blue Badge usage, please see our Frequently Asked Questions
How we use your data
Aberdeen City Council will use the personal information you provide to process your application for a Blue Badge, and to manage the administration of Blue Badges.
The Department for Transport maintains the national online application system and database of Blue Badge holders, which all local authorities feed into. This is run on their behalf by a company called Valtech Limited. The Council’s application system integrates with the Department for Transport’s National system so people can make an application to the Council directly or through the national system. Either way, information about holders of Blue Badges is held on the National system and within our Council system. If you apply using the Department for Transport’s paper form, we will also input your information into the Council’s system.
The Department for Transport have a contract with a company called APS Group who print and send out blue badges. This means we will provide APS Group with the following information about you necessary to make the badge:
- Your photo
- Name
- Address
We have agreements in place with the Department for Transport, Valtech Limited and APS Group to make sure that your data is handled properly.
Not all Blue Badge applications will need an assessment by an Occupational Therapist, but where this is required, we will share your information with our Occupational Therapy service provider Bon Accord Care, so that they can assess your application, and if necessary, arrange a physical assessment. We have an agreement in place with Bon Accord Care to make sure that to make sure that your data is handled properly.
If you’re happy with us doing so, we can also verify your address against our Council Tax records, so you don’t have to provide evidence of where you live.
If you are unable to upload a digital photo as part of your application we can use your national entitlement card photograph held on record or if you are an existing blue badge holder we can use your current one if you are applying for a renewal, we will check you with that you are happy with this.
For applicants with a visual impairment, we can verify this with North East Sensory Services, if you’re happy with us doing so. Again, this is so you don’t have to provide us with evidence as part of the application process. You will be able to choose to provide your own evidence if you would rather we didn’t make these checks for you.
The Council is obliged to participate in the National Fraud Initiative in Scotland and in terms of this passes information to Audit Scotland for data matching to detect fraud or possible fraud. Details of this exercise can be found on Audit Scotland’s website.
How long we keep your information for
Once your application has been decided, your application and related information will be kept by us for 4 years. Any incomplete applications that have not been processed due to a lack of further contact from you will be destroyed 6 months after the application was made. Your details will be kept on the national Blue Badge Database for the whole time you are a Blue Badge Holder.
Your rights
You’ve got legal rights about the way the Council handles and uses your data, which include the right to ask for a copy of it, and in some cases, to ask us to stop doing something with your data. See more information about all the rights you have.
You can email the Council’s Data Protection Officer on DataProtectionOfficer@aberdeencity.gov.uk or write to:
Data Protection Officer
Marischal College
Aberdeen
AB10 1AB
You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office. They are the body responsible for making sure organisations like the Council handle your data lawfully.
Our legal basis
Aberdeen City Council is the Data Controller for the information you provide. Wherever we process personal information we have to make sure we have a basis for doing so in Data Protection Law. Please see the table below for more information about the data processing activities we may carry out with Blue Badge data and our legal bases for doing so:
| Data processing activity | Purpose | Legal basis | Relevant law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing and managing Blue Badge Applications including OT assessments by Bon Accord Care and printing and issuing of Blue Badges by APS Group on behalf of the Department for Transport and and processing by the provider of the National system by Valtech Limited on behalf of Department for Transport | Administration of Blue Badges | Article 6 (1)(c) Public Task and Article 6(1)(c) Legal Obligation Article 9(2)(g | The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 |
| Verifying visual impairment with NESS (North East Sensory Services | Administration of Blue Badges | Article 6(1)(e) Public task Article 9(2)(g) | You will be asked in the application if you are happy with us checking this with NESS, otherwise they can choose to provide evidence of visual impairment |
| Using Council Tax Information to verify applicant’s address to ensure eligibility to apply for a Blue Badge within ACC area | Administration of Blue Badges | Article 6(1)(e) Public task | Customers will be asked if they are happy with us checking their address using council tax records, otherwise they can choose to provide their own evidence of address Effective fulfilment of the Council’s statutory functions and powers General Data Protection Regulation & Data Protection Act 2018 Best Value duty under Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003 |
| The Council’s Corporate Investigations Team will investigate reports of blue badge misuse and will have access to the central blue database | Preventing misuse of Blue Badges | Article 6(1)(e) Public task Article 9(2)(g) | The Council has authorised Enforcement Officers, who get their powers from Section 21 of The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. Section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and section 21 (4B) of the The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act Act make wrongful use of a Blue Badge an offence, as amended by the Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges Act 2013 |
| Providing Blue Badge data to Audit Scotland for data matching exercises as part of the National Fraud initiative | To prevent and detect fraud, crime, to assist in the apprehension and prosecution of offenders, and to safeguard public funds | Article 6(1)(c) Legal Obligation Article 9(2)(g) | Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000, S. 26C |
| Receiving the results of data matching exercises from Audit Scotland carried out under the National Fraud Initiative | To prevent and detect fraud, crime, to assist in the apprehension and prosecution of offenders, and to safeguard public funds | Article 6(1)(c) Legal Obligation Article 9(2)(g) | Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 |
| Retaining Blue Badge applications in accordance with ACC’s Records Retention and Disposal Schedule | Evidencing and being accountable for fulfilling our duties under relevant legislation, as outlined above | Article 6(1)(e) Public Task Article 9(2)(g) | The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 |