Privacy and Cookie Policy
Website Privacy Policy
Effective Date: March 2026
1. Introduction
The Coastal Partnerships Network (“we”, “us”, “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and protect your personal data when you visit our website (regardless of where you visit it from). It also explains your rights under UK data protection law.
This website is not intended for children and we do not knowingly collect data relating to children.
This Privacy Policy should be read alongside any other privacy notice we provide on specific occasions when collecting or processing personal data.
2. Data Controller
Coastal Partnerships Network is the data controller responsible for your personal data.
Contact details:
Email: info@coastalpartnershipsnetwork.org.uk
3. Third-Party Links
Our website may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins or applications. We do not control these websites and are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to read the privacy notice of every website you visit.
4. The Personal Data We Collect
Personal data means any information from which an individual can be identified.
We may collect, use, store and transfer the following categories of personal data:
- Identity Data – first name, surname, title, username, date of birth
- Contact Data – email address, telephone number, postal address
- Financial Data – bank account details, payment information
- Transaction Data – details about payments and services
- Technical Data – IP address, login data, browser type/version, location, device information
- Profile Data – username, password, account preferences
- Usage Data – information about how you use our website
- Marketing and Communications Data – communication preferences
We do not collect Special Category Data (e.g. health data, ethnicity, political opinions) unless explicitly required and lawfully permitted.
5. How We Collect Personal Data
We collect personal data:
Directly from you - when you:
- Apply for membership
- Create an account
- Subscribe to updates
- Contact us
- Request marketing
Automatically - through cookies and similar technologies when you use our website. Please see our Cookie Policy for details.
From third parties - including:
- Analytics providers
- Payment providers
- IT and hosting providers
- Public sources (e.g. Companies House)
6. Lawful Bases for Processing
We only use your personal data where the law allows us to. Most commonly under:
- Performance of a contract – to provide membership or services
- Legitimate interests – to operate and improve our website and services
- Legal obligation – to comply with regulatory requirements
- Consent – for optional marketing communications
You may withdraw consent at any time.
7. Purposes for Using Your Personal Data
We use your data to:
- Register you as a member
- Manage payments and subscriptions
- Communicate changes to policies or services
- Provide newsletters and updates
- Administer and protect our website
- Improve website performance and user experience
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
We do not sell your personal data.
8. Marketing Communications
As part of membership benefits, we may send relevant updates about legislation, sector developments, or charity-related matters.
You may opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link in our communications.
9. Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website, ensure proper functionality, and analyse site usage. Cookies are small text files placed on your device that help us remember your preferences and understand how you interact with our website.
9.1 Types of Cookies We Use
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Examples | Duration |
| Strictly Necessary Cookies | Required for basic website functions such as logging in, session management, and security. Without these cookies, certain services cannot be provided. | Session ID cookies | Session |
| Performance / Analytics Cookies | Collect anonymised information about how visitors use the website (e.g., pages visited, errors, time on site) to help us improve content and services. | Google Analytics (_ga, _gid), Hotjar | 2 years / 1 day |
| Functionality Cookies | Remember user preferences such as language selection, login details, or display settings to enhance user experience. | Language preference, theme selection | 1 year |
| Marketing / Advertising Cookies | Track user behaviour to deliver relevant content and advertisements and to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. | Facebook Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag | 6 months – 1 year |
| Third-Party Cookies | Used by external services integrated on our website (e.g., social media sharing, embedded videos) to enable features or analytics. | YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn embeds | Varies by provider |
9.2 Consent
When you first visit our website, a cookie banner will appear allowing you to:
- Accept all cookies
- Reject non-essential cookies
- Manage your cookie preferences
Non-essential cookies (analytics, marketing, third-party) will not be set unless you give consent. You can withdraw or change your consent at any time using the cookie settings link on the website.
9.3 Managing Cookies
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Options include:
- Blocking all cookies
- Blocking only third-party cookies
- Deleting cookies after each session
Important: Blocking strictly necessary cookies may prevent full use of the website or cause some features to stop working.
9.4 Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies are set by third parties, such as:
- Analytics Providers: Google Analytics, Hotjar
- Advertising Platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook
- Embedded Media: YouTube, Vimeo
These third parties may track your use of our site across other websites. Their privacy and cookie practices are separate from ours, and we encourage you to review them if you interact with these services.
9.5 Cookie Duration and Security
- Session cookies – expire when you close your browser; used for login sessions.
- Persistent cookies – remain on your device for a set period; used to remember preferences and analytics.
- Secure cookies – only sent over encrypted HTTPS connections for security purposes.
We review cookie use regularly and update this section if new cookies are implemented.
10. Change of Purpose
We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected unless we reasonably consider another purpose compatible and lawful.
11. Sharing Your Personal Data
We may share your personal data with:
- IT and hosting providers
- Payment processors
- Professional advisers (legal, financial, auditors)
- Regulators and public authorities
- External consultants supporting service delivery
We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and process it in accordance with UK GDPR.
We do not permit third-party providers to use your personal data for their own marketing purposes.
12. International Transfers
Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:
- UK-approved International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTA), or
- Adequacy regulations recognised under UK law.
13. Data Security
We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data.
We maintain procedures to address suspected data breaches and will notify you and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) where legally required.
14. Data Retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes collected, including legal, accounting or reporting requirements.
By law, we retain certain member data (including financial and transaction records) for six years after membership ends for tax and regulatory purposes.
We may anonymise data for research or statistical purposes and use it indefinitely.
Account Deletion and Anonymisation
If you request deletion of your Coastal Partnerships Network website account, your access to the platform will be permanently disabled and your profile information will be removed from public view.
Content you have contributed to the website (including posts, replies, comments, and uploads) may be retained where necessary to preserve the integrity of discussions and maintain accurate records.
In such cases, your username and other identifying details will be anonymised so that the content can no longer be directly attributed to you. Once anonymised, the information will no longer constitute personal data under UK GDPR.
We may retain limited personal data where necessary to:
- Comply with legal or regulatory obligations;
- Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims;
- Maintain appropriate records in accordance with our retention requirements.
Where personal data is no longer required for these purposes, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.
15. Your Legal Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Be informed
- Access your data
- Rectify inaccurate data
- Erase personal data where applicable, subject to legal and legitimate retention requirements
- Restrict processing
- Data portability
- Object to processing
- Withdraw consent
- Not be subject to solely automated decision-making
To exercise your rights, contact:
info@coastalpartnershipsnetwork.org.uk
We will respond within one month unless the request is complex.
You may lodge a complaint with:
Information Commissioner’s Office
www.ico.org.uk
Tel: 0303 123 1113
16. Changes to This Privacy & Cookie Policy
We review this Privacy & Cookie Policy periodically. Updates will be posted on this page.
Please keep us informed if your personal data changes during your relationship with us.
17. Contact Us
For questions, concerns or complaints regarding this Privacy & Cookie Policy, please contact: