Township of Hillsborough Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how Hillsborough Township uses and protects any information that you give Hillsborough Township when you use the township website or interact with a township employee in the course of doing business.

Hillsborough Township is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

• name and job title
• contact information including email address, mailing address and phone number
• other information relevant to customer applications, registrations, inspections and/or items

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons: 

• Internal record keeping.
• We may use the information to improve our products and services.
• We may periodically send informational emails about new services, special events or other updates which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have subscribed to our eNewsletter.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to our Township Clerk.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Website Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyze data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

COVID-19 Procedures

As previously stated herein this policy, Hillsborough Township is committed to maintaining the privacy of our residents. The sign in sheet that the Township requires all residents to come to the municipal building to sign, is a government record subject to OPRA. However, OPRA has several exceptions including providing personal information like names, addresses and phone numbers depending on the situation. In light of the fact that the Township is only collecting the information in accordance with the Governor's contact tracing protocol, we would vigorously assert that all of the information set forth on the sign in sheet is confidential and privileged and outside the scope of OPRA, except if there was a resident who was in the municipal building who was stricken with COVID-19. In the event that occurs we would share the information with the Health Officer in order  to ensure the health and safety of the employees and members of the public who were in the building on the same day.