WEBSITE REPORT
Major changes have happened on the circuit website https://hinckleymethodistcircuit.org.uk
The new site has 20 times as much space as the old one that was bursting at the seams and required constant vigilance to remove large files to keep it running. There has also been a major update to the site’s software introducing a new editor. The new block-based editor is the first step toward an exciting new future with a streamlined editing experience across our site. We have more flexibility with how web pages and posts can be displayed on Laptops, Tablets and Phones.
Many of the representatives who modify the site for our circuit churches met at Earl Shilton early this year to see the new editor demonstrated. We started off an ongoing discussion on the way forward for the site for its future direction. Websites and social media may be one way to reach out to enable us to ‘Go for Growth’.
We had some initial teething problems with e-mails as our domain name provider moved to a different server and changed its name from Mydaily to Tsohost.
Complying with GDPR has given us some concerns. The outside pages of the Plan with the names, addresses and phone numbers have now been removed.
Updates
The website is now fully SSL certified and the web address now starts https://
The posts and pages can now be set with an end date so we can stop old posts being viewed well after they are not relevant.
Fred Hartshorn and Gwen Coley, Webmasters
Hinckley Methodist Circuit
Policy and Procedures for the use of Personal Data in Publications
The Purpose of this Document
This Document is intended to set out guidelines and procedures for the systematic and consistent management of personal data used in the following publications:
Circuit Directory
Circuit Plan
Circuit Website
This applies to paper copies and to documents held electronically. This document is the property of Hinckley Methodist Circuit and can be adapted by the churches of the Hinckley Methodist Circuit for their own use.
Responsibility for Data Management
Although data management in the Methodist Church is the ultimate responsibility of the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes, it is the responsibility of all Methodist Church office holders, staff, members and adherents to manage personal data and to store it securely. Where a publication containing personal data is shared with bodies outside the Circuit it is the responsibility of the Trustees to ensure that the outside body will manage it in accordance with the Circuit’s policies and relevant legislation and regulations
Review
This document will be reviewed at least annually.
Hinckley Circuit Directory
The Hinckley Circuit Directory is for the personal use of
- Hinckley Circuit Ministers, staff and Officers, Associate Ministers and Local Preachers and Readers
- Northampton Methodist District staff and officers
- Church Administrators, Stewards and Officers in the Methodist churches over which the Hinckley Methodist Circuit has oversight
- Others who are considered by the Managing Trustees as having a legitimate interest in the business of the Hinckley Methodist Circuit
The Hinckley Circuit Directory is not a public document and therefore those who hold a copy undertake to store it in a secure location not accessible to the general public. The information contained in the Directory must not be on public view and must not be shared with any persons who do not have a legitimate interest in the business of the Methodist Circuit.
What is the purpose of the Circuit Directory?
The Circuit Directory is produced in order to provide effective communication between Church, Circuit and District personnel for the business of the Circuit.
Legal Basis
It is in the legitimate interests of the Hinckley Methodist Circuit to:
- hold and publicise (including making available to third parties) the personal data of Ministers, Probationers and Office Holders in order to operate as a Methodist Circuit, further Mission and enable third parties to contact relevant office holders.
- hold and publicise within the Methodist Church, the personal data of employees and volunteers, to enable those in a continuing relationship with the church to contact relevant personnel. Consent is required to make such details available to third parties
What Personal Data does the Directory contain?
The Directory contains, where relevant, the names, telephone numbers and email addresses of the post holders listed below. Where no email address or telephone number is available, a postal address will be used. Postal addresses may be included if it is deemed to be in the interest of the effective running of the Circuit and does not compromise the rights of the data subject.
Review & Retention
The Directory is updated annually following the Spring Church Council meetings and usually published in June / July. A paper copy of each Directory will be retained in the Circuit Office for the purposes of archiving. All other copies should be destroyed on receipt of an updated copy. An electronic copy of the Directory is stored on the Circuit Administrator’s computer in the Circuit Office, and this may be retained for the purposes of archiving.
The following District / Circuit / Church post holders should be included in the Circuit Directory:
| DISTRICT
Chair of the District District Mission Enabler District Property Secretary District Treasurer District Safeguarding Officer CIRCUIT Ministers Circuit Stewards Circuit Staff Office Holders Synod Reps Local Preachers & Readers Chaplaincy Volunteers |
CHURCH
Church Stewards Church Council Secretary Worship Leaders Worship Co-ordinators Organist / Music group etc Lay Pastoral Assistant Pastoral Secretary Safeguarding Officer Childrens Work / Sunday School / Youth Group Leaders Property Steward / Secretary Booking Secretary Treasurer Circuit Meeting Representatives |
CHURCH (cont.)
Gift Aid Secretary Independent Examiner/Auditor Worship Committee Home & World Missions Secs JMA Secretary Action For Children Christian Aid Weekly Notices Church Mag Webmaster Events Team Sec Data Lead Prayer Lead |
The list above may be modified by at any time to suit the needs of the Hinckley Methodist Circuit or at the request of Church Stewards. Room lettings and groups meeting on church premises but not under the authority of the Church Council will not be included in the Circuit Directory unless it is deemed in the interest of the Circuit to include such groups. These groups may be included in individual Church Directories.
The Directory will also include, when available, the dates of Synod, Circuit and Church Council Meetings for the relevant year.
Hinckley Circuit Plan
What is the purpose of the Plan?
S.O. 521 It is the responsibility of the Superintendent in consultation with his or her colleagues to make the circuit plan of preaching appointments [The Plan]. The Plan is produced quarterly and contains the preaching schedule for the quarter plus information about forthcoming Circuit and Church events.
Legal Basis
It is in the legitimate interests of the Hinckley Methodist Circuit to
- promote effective communication within the Circuit,
- support members, visiting preachers and the wider community,
- comply with CPD (Constitution, Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church).
The plan is not a public document. It is widely distributed within the Circuit but should not be made available to the general public. Consent is not required, but discretion should be used when determining which contact details to include in the printed plan.
The Plan is published on the Hinckley Circuit Website as a downloadable PDF. In this instance, the first and last pages of the plan at least (ie all pages which contain full names and contact details) should be removed by the Website Administrator before publication. If it is not possible to remove a page, it should be edited before publication to remove full names and contact details. The core Plan as published on the Hinckley Circuit Website displays surnames only, which is deemed not sufficient for a casual observer to establish the identity of the preachers named on the Plan.
The Plan is normally distributed to:
| Circuit Churches
District Office Visiting Preachers Local Preachers Ministers Local Pastors Circuit Stewards |
Vicar of St Margaret’s Stoke Golding
Supernumery Ministers and other ministers residing in the Circuit |
Soft Copy
Circuit Webmasters Church Stewards and Officers on request |
What Personal Data does the Plan contain?
Home addresses should never be included in the printed Plan. The Circuit Office retains addresses of visiting Preachers in order to facilitate the distribution of the printed Plan.
The Plan contains the following personal data:
| Names, home telephone numbers and personal email addresses | Names and telephone numbers | Names only |
| Chair of the District
Ministers/ Local Pastors Circuit Stewards Visiting Preachers |
Local Preachers | Youth Workers
Circuit Administrator Children & Families Ministry Enabler |
Review & Retention
Hard and Soft copies of the Circuit Plan are retained in the Circuit Office for the purpose of archiving. All other copies should be destroyed upon expiry.
Hinckley Circuit Website
What is the purpose of the Website?
The Circuit Website supports communication and information sharing around the Circuit and in the wider community.
Legal Basis
The Website is in the Public Domain, therefore in most cases, consent is required to publish personal data on the website including photographs. This is not the case for Ministers, whose personal data is already in the Public Domain, and it is in the legitimate interest of the Circuit and its Churches to include contact details of Local Pastors, Room Booking Secretaries and Pastoral / Prayer contacts, but discretion should be exercised when determining what contact details to include. Home address should never be included.
Photographs of Ministers may be published on the website without consent, but explicit consent should be obtained before including photographs which include any other persons including Church and Circuit Officers, Church members, adherents or casual contacts.
Review & Retention
The website is reviewed and updated regularly by the Circuit Webmasters and the Webmasters of the individual Church pages.
It is recommended by Connexion that a snapshot of the website be taken annually and before any major changes and retained for the purpose of archiving.
