Local Council Toolkit
The Local Council Data Protection Toolkit
A complete 12-month support package for parish and town councils.
Stay compliant with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act, without the stress and headaches.
Just £695 + VAT per year. 60-day money-back guarantee.
An Open Letter to Clerks, Council Officers and Local Councillors
Dear Local Council,
If there is one thing we hear more than anything else from the clerks and officers we work with, it is this: there simply is not enough time to do everything you have to do.
Time to stay on top of ever-changing information compliance rules. Time to figure out which of it really applies to parish and town councils. Time to learn or refresh key skills. And now, there is something new to add to the list.
From the 2025/26 AGAR, parish and town councils must confirm their compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act.
Data protection compliance is not new. Parish and town councils, together with other data controllers, have had to comply with their legal and statutory data protection obligations for years. But, with the introduction of Assertion 10, information compliance has now come into clear focus.
This may mean refreshing outdated policies and providing relevant training for staff and councillors. It may mean mapping out the personal data processed by the council, including why you hold it, who has access, and your lawful basis for processing. It may also involve conducting data protection risk assessments and ensuring key documents and policies reflect how your council works today, and not how the council operated back in 2018 when GDPR first came into law.
That is why we created the Local Council Data Protection Toolkit service.
It is designed to take the pressure off. Giving your council a clear, supported pathway to information compliance, with relevant tools and templates, step-by-step guidance, council-specific training, and year-round support through live clinics and events.
Information compliance does not stand still, and neither does your council. Your council is growing, taking on new services and assets. Breakthrough Communications is here to support your council on that journey. You do not need more on your "to do" list.
You need the right tools at the right time, so compliance does not become a last-minute scramble. Join us today.
Breakthrough Communications
01903 299000 | hello@breakthroughcomms.co.uk
"We are proud to be NALC's official partner for data protection and information compliance advice and support. As well as working closely with many county associations across the country to provide expert training advice and support for their members."
Every council has to declare its compliance with UK GDPR
Assertion 10 means that as part of your councils Annual Governance Statement every parish and town council will have to confirm that they are compliant with their legal obligations under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act.
What Assertion 10 expects from councils
The compliance gap
The Local Council Data Protection Toolkit is built to close that gap.
There is a lot to take care of, which is why acting now can help avoid unnecessary stress, frustration and headaches further down the line.
Breakthrough Communications proudly introduces
The Local Council Data Protection Toolkit
A supportive pathway to compliance, with guidance and clarity every step of the way. On-demand training, customisable templates, regular bulletins, drop-in clinics and live virtual Masterclasses, all built around how parish and town councils actually work.
A unique six-stage pathway to compliance
The Toolkit will support your council through every stage of its data protection compliance journey, giving you peace of mind and confidence at AGAR.
A thorough understanding of council information compliance essentials, so the rest of the journey makes sense from the start.
- UK GDPR principles explained for councils
- The Data Protection Act 2018 in plain English
- Roles: Data Controller and Data Processor
- What "personal data" actually means in council life
Our experts will guide you to map out all of the personal data your council processes, and document the purposes for which it is being processed.
- Council-wide personal data audit template
- Purpose of processing register
- Who has access guidance
- Worked examples for parish and town councils
Explore the lawful basis your council has for each purpose you have identified, and document it in a way that stands up to scrutiny.
- Lawful basis decision guide
- Public task and legitimate interests in council settings
- Special category data scenarios
- Documentation templates
A practical approach to identifying and mitigating data protection risks, including the risks to the council and to data subjects.
- Council data protection risk register
- Practical mitigation library
- DPIA template and worked example
- CCTV, photography and event risk guidance
Step-by-step guidance to create essential policies and documentation, written for how your council operates today and not in 2018.
- Data Protection Policy template
- Privacy Notice template
- Records Retention schedule
- Subject Access Request (SAR) procedure
A final review of everything you have done, giving you confidence to declare Assertion 10. We will also keep your council future-proofed as guidance evolves.
- Assertion 10 readiness checklist
- Annual review prompts
- Updates whenever new guidance is released
- Ongoing access to live clinics and Masterclasses
60-day money-back guarantee
If your council completes all of the training modules and attends at least one live clinic or Masterclass, but is still not satisfied, we will refund your council in full. No hassle. No risk.
Who is the Data Protection Toolkit for?
A clear, supported pathway through compliance, with bite-sized training built around how your council actually works. Sign off Assertion 10 with confidence.
Refresher training and certificates of completion for every councillor, with a unique subscription that covers everyone in the council.
A practical roadmap to data audits, lawful basis, risk assessments, and the policies your council needs in place to declare compliance.
Practical guidance on subject access requests, FOI and EIR, CCTV, photography and videography at events, councillors using personal data, and more.
What is included and what it costs
12 months of unlimited access for everyone in the council. One simple price.
What is included
- Whole-council access for clerks, officers and councillors
- All on-demand training, templates and checklists
- Monthly Masterclasses and regular drop-in clinics
- Best practice bulletins and ongoing updates
Risk-free: complete the training and attend a live session. If you are still not satisfied, we will refund you in full within 60 days.
Register for the Toolkit ›Need to take this to council first?
The Toolkit sits comfortably within communications, training or governance budgets. If you need a short delay while the decision goes through council, call us on 01903 299000 and we will hold the price for you.
Frequently asked questions
The right tools at the right time, so compliance does not become a last-minute scramble
Join the councils already using the Local Council Data Protection Toolkit to take the pressure off and get Assertion 10 ready.