Names and email addresses leaked in data breach

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has apologised after some personal infromation was leaked in a data breach.

It happend on  Monday evening, 27th July, when an email was sent to households as part of the "annual canvass" which see residents asked to check the information held for their property and confirm or update those details.

The council said due to an administrative error, the email contained a link that revealed the recipient's forename, surname, email address, and household-specific unique code.

Officials said as soon as the error was identified, officers took immediate action to investigate the cause and disable access to the affected link. It said those affected by the data breach had been contacted. 

The incident was reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). 

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 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.

“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 should contact the Data Protection Officer by email at dpo@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk.