To all Users

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Kershaw
Sent: 21 November 2008 14:34
To: All Users
Subject: Council information

I am reminding you that we all have responsibilities concerning Council information including data which is confidential and personal. There can be very serious consequences if we do not comply with these responsibilities. All staff must ensure they are aware of, and comply with, the Council's policies and protocols when accessing or handling Council information (for example, Data Protection, Standards of Conduct, ICT Usage Policy). The policies and protocols are available on the Intranet and you may also seek guidance from your manager if you are unclear. Should you feel you are being pressurised to access or divulge Council information to others that would render you to breach these responsibilities, you must inform a senior manager. Staff are also being reminded of the need to be vigilant and to follow the Council's policies (which are available on the Internet) with regard to information that could be considered to be inappropriate, including that which is of a discriminative nature. There can be very serious consequences if we do not comply with these requirements.

Roger Kershaw
Resources - Director
Translation follows:

Data protection and security are vital and with SouthWest One now handling confidential information, a lot of your attention is required. Some very sensitive information about vulnerable people in Somerset will be held in Warwick by IBM and not in County Hall. The information will be minded by strangers, rather than SCC staff.

Actually we’ve had no corporate data protection or security awareness training programmes for years. Three previous staff carrying out data protection duties have left and were never replaced.

There is now a single Officer to cover data protection & security (set that against nine press officers!)

So do your best. Its beyond me. This e-mail is simply to cover my back.