Personal data leaked in data breach at borough council during update of electoral register

The local authority admitted the breach and said the incident has been discussed with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

On 27 July, an email was sent to electors who had provided their emails to the council’s Elections team, inviting them to check the information held for their property and confirm or update those details.

This was sent for the purpose of updating the electoral register - known as the annual canvass.

However, due to an administrative error, the email contained a link that revealed the recipients’ forenames, surnames, email addresses, and household-specific unique code.

The council noted that the unique code alone cannot be used to access electoral registration information, as additional information is required to activate and use the service.

The council added that it takes residents' personal information security “extremely seriously” and that a review will be undertaken.

Tom Shardlow, Chief Executive at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, 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 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.”

Shardlow added: “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.

“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.”

Lottie Winson