Last updated: 11 June 2026

The Clerk is a weekly email briefing for people who run, administer and govern town and parish councils in England and Wales. It is operated by Sophie Buck, a sole trader trading as The Clerk ("we", "us", "our"). We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. Contact: hello@theclerk.co.uk

What data we collect and why

Newsletter subscribers. When you subscribe we collect your email address (required) and, optionally, your first name and your council or role. We use this to send you the weekly briefing you have requested, to personalise it, and to understand engagement. Lawful basis: consent (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a)), given when you complete our sign-up form and confirm your address. You can withdraw consent at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email.

Professional contacts. We may hold publicly available professional contact details — for example, a clerk's named work email address published on a council website — to tell relevant council officers about The Clerk. Lawful basis: legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)). We have completed a Legitimate Interests Assessment. We only use publicly available professional details, never personal email addresses; we record the source and date of every contact; every message includes a simple opt-out, honoured immediately.

Enquiries. If you contact us we collect your name, email address and message so we can respond. Lawful basis: legitimate interests.

Sponsors. We hold business contact details of sponsors and prospective sponsors to manage sponsorship relationships. Lawful basis: legitimate interests or contract.

What we do not do

We do not sell your personal data. We do not share subscriber lists with sponsors or anyone else — sponsors only ever receive aggregate statistics such as total subscribers and average open rate. We do not use your data for automated decision-making with legal or similarly significant effects.

Who we share data with

We use MailerLite (UAB MailerLite, Vilnius, Lithuania) as our email and website platform. Subscriber data is stored on MailerLite's systems in the European Economic Area; transfers from the UK are covered by the UK's adequacy regulations. We may also disclose data where required by law.

Email analytics

Our emails contain standard tracking that tells us whether an email was opened and which links were clicked. We use this to measure engagement and report aggregate (never individual) statistics to sponsors. You can disable open tracking by blocking remote images in your email client.

How long we keep your data

Subscribers: while you remain subscribed; after you unsubscribe, your address is kept on a suppression list only. Professional contacts: reviewed at least every 12 months. Enquiries: up to 24 months after our last exchange. Sponsor records: duration of the relationship plus 6 years.

Your rights

You have the right to access your data, have it corrected or erased, restrict or object to processing (including an absolute right to object to direct marketing), data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time. Email hello@theclerk.co.uk and we will respond within one month. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113.

Security

Subscriber data is held within MailerLite's secured platform, protected by access controls and encryption in transit. Access is limited to the operator of The Clerk.

Changes

We will post any changes on this page and update the date above. Significant changes will be flagged in the newsletter.