A COUNCILLOR left disappointed when her inbox didn’t clear up after new data protection standards were introduced has raised concerns over receiving ‘pretty annoying’ e-mails.

The organisational improvement and development policy committee was briefed on the new standards at its Town Hall meeting on Tuesday.

A report provided the committee with an update on the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 compliance.

But Cllr Linda Dirir (LAB – Penketh and Cuerdley) asked about data protection for councillors, whose e-mail addresses ‘go on the internet and right across the board’.

She added: “I remember just before the Data Protection Act came in I had a lot of e-mails saying ‘we have to ask for your permission now if we want to send you an e-mail’, or you tick if you want it to continue.

“I was so glad because I thought at least now I am going to get my inbox cleared because I am going to tick no, which I did.

“I was just waiting for the moment that this was all going to clear up when the Data Protection Act comes in but, unfortunately, it didn’t.

“A lot of it did stop but every time I turn my inbox on I get 20 e-mails that I don’t really want to read – mostly about asking people to come to conferences.

“I just wonder if we can control that in any way because it is pretty annoying if I’m being honest with you because I just want to see important e-mails which matter to me.”

The committee noted the contents of the report and referred it to the audit and corporate governance committee to consider as part of its monitoring role.