Cookies
Cookies are pieces of data that are often created when you visit a website, and which are stored in the cookie directory of your computer. A number of cookies are created when you visit Bromsgrove.gov.uk.
Our first cookie sets the local authority name in order to deliver you with partner specific information.
Subsequent cookies are set according to your usage of the postcode councillor search, my hub and the local town selector.
The cookies do not contain any personal information about you, and they cannot be used to identify an individual user.
You can set your browser not to accept cookies. If you do not know how to do this, contact us, giving details on the type of browser you are using, and we will do our best to help, or use the "How to control cookies" related link. Please note that if you do set your browser not to accept cookies many of the enhanced features may not work correctly.
Your browser accesses the cookie file again when you visit the website that created the cookie file. The browser uses the information stored in the cookie file to help ease your navigation of the website by letting you log in automatically or remembering settings you selected during your earlier visits to the website, among many other functions.
Any particular website cannot access information on your computer other than the cookie it set on your computer. The cookie is not executable code so it doesn't have any “life” of its own other than being used by the website that created it. As explained above, such use is limited to helping your browser process the information located on the website.
Although cookies are merely harmless text files that help your browsing experience, they are not free from controversy. Cookies can be used to track your browser's website browsing history. If you feel this impacts your privacy, you can change your browser's settings to limit the use of cookies on your computer to cut down on its ability to keep records of your browsing history.
Essentially this is the memory of your internet browser where you can find all your cookies stored in a format that facilitates easy retrieval by a browser.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics website statistic which uses cookies to help us to gauge the number of people that visit the council's website and to analyse how they use it (e.g. we can determine which pages on our site are the most popular ones).
The information generated by the cookies about your use of our website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of our website, compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties when required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google undertakes not to associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites visit
http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, we would recommend looking at https://www.allaboutcookies.org/
The Council does not use Analytic cookies for any other purpose than reporting site use and does not share information with anyone outside of the Council.
Social Media Links
The Social Media buttons in the page footer pass temporary cookies to the social media sites (Facebook, Twitter etc) which just includes the address of the page you wish to share.
These cookies should not be saved to the computer as they are "cached" in the browser.
Cookie: Google Analytics
Name: _utma , _utmb, _utmc, _utmz
Purpose: These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitor have come to the site from and the pages they visited.
More information:
An overview of privacy at Google
Update your privacy preferences for the website
If you would like to update your privacy preferences or find out more, you can do so by clicking the Privacy button in the bottom right corner of your screen (you may enable or disable cookies and tracking at any time).
All cookies and tracking are off by default and are all opt-in only.