Privacy policy

Last Updated: September 11, 2026

The Tyne & Esk Rural Communities Development Fund (“we”, “our”, or “us”) operates the website [https://www.tyneesk.co.uk/](https://www.tyneesk.co.uk/). We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal data, as well as how we use cookies on our website.

1. Who We Are and Data Controller Information

The Tyne & Esk Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Programme is part of the Scottish Government’s Community Led Local Development Rural Programme, covering rural East Lothian and Midlothian.

  • Contact Email: tyneesk@eastlothian.gov.uk

  • Administrative Host: East Lothian Council (acting on behalf of the Tyne & Esk Local Action Group).

2. Information We Collect About You

Depending on how you interact with our website and services, we may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

  • Identity and Contact Data: Full name, email address, telephone number, postal address, and organisation/community group name when you fill out contact forms, apply for funding, or sign up for updates.

  • Funding Application Data: Detailed project proposals, financial information, bank details (for grant disbursements), governance documents, and supporting evidence submitted by applicants or organisations.

  • Account and Login Data: Username, login credentials, and profile information for Local Action Group (LAG) members or registered platform users accessing the member login area.

  • Technical and Usage Data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, operating system, and platform data collected automatically via cookies and server logs when you browse our website.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data only for lawful purposes connected with our operations, including:

  • Processing Funding Applications: Evaluating, assessing, and scoring grant applications submitted by community groups, charities, and businesses.

  • Programme Administration & Governance: Facilitating the Local Action Group (LAG) decision-making process, managing project agreements, and monitoring funded projects using evaluation tools (such as the Social Value Engine).

  • Communication: Responding to your enquiries, providing guidance during the funding process, and sending relevant programme resources or updates.

  • Statutory and Government Reporting: Reporting aggregated or specific project data to the Scottish Government as a requirement of the CLLD Rural Programme funding.

  • Website Security and Improvement: Ensuring website stability, managing member accounts, and analyzing traffic to improve user experience.

4. Lawful Bases for Processing Under UK GDPR

We rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:

  1. Public Task / Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary for the performance of tasks carried out in the public interest or under official authority associated with local development funding grants and Scottish Government programmes.

  2. Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to manage funding agreements and grant contracts entered into with successful applicants.

  3. Legitimate Interests: To operate our website, respond to general enquiries, and support rural community development initiatives, provided these do not override your fundamental rights.

  4. Consent: Where you have explicitly opted in to receive specific communications or accepted non-essential analytical cookies.

5. Cookie Policy

Cookies are small text files stored on your computer or mobile device when you visit our site. They help the website function properly, enhance security, and provide statistical insights into how our site is used.

Types of Cookies We Use

  • Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for website navigation, user security, form submissions, and member portal authentication. These cannot be switched off in our systems.

  • Performance & Analytics Cookies: Allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve website performance.

Cookie Schedule

Cookie Name Category Purpose / Use Lifetime
PHPSESSID / CONCRETE5 Strictly Necessary Maintains user session state across page requests and secures member login access. Session (Expires when browser is closed)
CCM_CSRF_TOKEN Strictly Necessary / Security Protects against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks when submitting forms. Session (Expires when browser is closed)
cookie_consent_status Strictly Necessary Remembers your preference for non-essential cookies on this website. 1 Year
_ga Analytics Used by Google Analytics to distinguish unique users for aggregated visitor analytics. 2 Years
_ga_* Analytics Used by Google Analytics to persist session state and track interaction details. 2 Years

Managing Cookies

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies or adjusting your web browser settings to refuse or alert you about cookies. Please note that blocking essential cookies may prevent parts of the site (such as the LAG Member Login) from functioning properly.

6. Who We Share Your Information With

We treat your personal data with confidentiality. However, we may share relevant data with:

  • The Local Action Group (LAG): Community representatives and partner organisations who review, discuss, and score funding applications.

  • The Scottish Government: As our funding body, for statutory compliance, audits, and program monitoring.

  • Local Authorities: Partner local authorities (such as East Lothian Council and Midlothian Council) involved in financial administration and governance.

  • Third-Party Service Providers: Trusted IT, hosting, and evaluation service providers (such as grant management tools and impact assessment partners) bound by strict data processing agreements.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.

7. Data Security and Retention

  • Security: We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to prevent unauthorised access, accidental loss, disclosure, or alteration of your personal data.

  • Retention: We retain personal data and funding application records only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including satisfying legal, accounting, funding audit requirements, or reporting obligations mandated by the Scottish Government.

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of Access: You can request copies of your personal data.

  • Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

  • Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You can ask us to delete your data under certain conditions.

  • Right to Restrict or Object: You can object to or request the restriction of our processing of your data.

  • Right to Data Portability: You can request the transfer of your data to another organisation or directly to you.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at tyneesk@eastlothian.gov.uk.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, technology, or our operational practices. Any updates will be posted directly on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please reach out to:

The Tyne & Esk CLLD Privacy Policy can be downloaded here

Have an Idea That Could
Make a Difference?

We're here to help you develop your project idea and guide you through every step of the application process. Get in touch — our support team is ready.

Apply for Funding Contact the Team Email: tyneesk@eastlothian.gov.uk