We hold your information in compliance with current UK Data Protection legislation.

The information we hold is different depending on your relationship with us

• If you are just browsing our website then you may want to read our Cookie Statement below
• If you have signed up for our Newsletter then see the Mailing List section
• If you are a Member of the Big Solar Co-op then see the Member section
• If you are participating in a survey we are carrying out please see the Survey data section

Your rights

You have a right to see what personal data we hold. To make a request for your personal information contact us using the details given below. You also have the right to:

• object to processing of personal data that is likely to cause damage or distress
• prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing
• object to decisions being taken by automated means
• have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed; and
• claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the Data Protection regulations

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, we request that you raise your concern with us in the first instance. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Contact

The Big Solar Co-op director responsible for data privacy is Jon Hallé. For any requests related to data privacy please contact jon@sharenergy.coop.

Mailing List

If you sign up for our mailings we collect only your email address. We collect this for the sole purpose of sending you information about the Big Solar Co-op. The data is held on the legal basis of your explicit consent given at the time of signing up. We don’t share your data with anyone. You can unsubscribe and request deletion of your data at any point using the contact details above.

Members

If you are a Member we collect and manage data. Investor members data is also held and processed by Sharenergy Co-operative Ltd whose data privacy notice is on their website.

The information we collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Contact information (Name, email and postal address, telephone)
• Personal information (date of birth)
• Transaction information (your investments, capital repayments and interest payments)
• Financial information (in some cases we hold bank details to enable us to pay you by transfer)
• Communications information (records of mailings sent to you or interactions we have had with you by phone or email)
• Other information related to your memberships (in some cases members make nominations of people to receive their shares on death, or record their wishes regarding shares for children)

Why we collect and use this information

We use the data:

• to fulfil the legal requirement to keep and maintain a share register
• to enable you to exercise your rights as a member (for example by sending you information about AGMS or other member meetings)
• to communicate with you on matters relating to your membership
• to administrate payments relating to your membership
• to provide information as required to regulatory bodies
• to comply with the law regarding data sharing

The legal basis

We collect and use this information on the grounds that it is ‘necessary for compliance with a legal obligation’ under General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (“GDPR”), namely the statutory requirement that Societies maintain a Register of Members.

Collecting and storing your information

The information we collect with regard to memberships is provided by you on your application form and it is a requirement that we collect this information in order for you to join a Society. We hold data on memberships for as long as is required by law. This extends beyond the end of the membership as we are required to hold details of former members in the share register. We will delete bondholders data after their last bonds are repaid.

Who we share information with

We do not share your data with any other body except as required by law. The main ways in which we do this are:

• HMRC requires us to make an annual return which details any payment over £250 made in respect of share interest (under Section 887 of the Income Tax Act 2007)
• Section 103 of the 2014 Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies Act gives every Member a right to inspect a copy of the Register of Members which contains names, addresses and membership start date but not details of shareholding. The Member can inspect the Register at the Registered Office of the Society. The Act does not give Members the right to copy these details for any purpose – the provision is purely for the purposes of inspection.
• HMRC requires details of members and share or bondholdings if tax relief is claimed under EIS, SEIS or SITR tax reliefs – these reliefs are currently not available to renewable energy Societies.
• Under some circumstances the Financial Conduct Authority can inspect the register of members.

Cookies

Survey data

We sometimes carry out surveys – for example when asking potential solar hosts about their needs or experiences in working with us.

Your survey data will not be made available to any other body for any purpose (expect where required by law). Your personal data will be kept until the completion of the study only. Your survey responses (ie energy data) will be archived in anonymised form for research or statistical purposes. You may request to see your data we hold or withdraw consent to hold data at any time by contacting us.