Cookies Policy – and the EU Cookie Directive
To make this site simpler, we sometimes place small data files on your computer. These are known as cookies. Most big websites do this too.
They improve things by:
- remembering settings, so you don’t have to keep re-entering them whenever you visit a new page
- remembering information you’ve given (eg your postcode) so you don’t need to keep entering it
- measuring how you use the website so we can make sure it meets your needs
Our cookies aren’t used to identify you personally. They’re just here to make the site work better for you. Indeed, you can manage and/or delete these small files as you wish.
To learn more about cookies and how to manage them, visit AboutCookies.org. Or please read on to find out more about how and where we use cookies.
How we use cookies
londoncouncils.gov.uk, freedompass.org, taxicard.org.uk and associated microsites use cookies in several places – we’ve listed each of them below with more details about why we use them and how long they will last.
Measuring website usage (Google Analytics)
We use Google Analytics to collect information about how people use this site. We do this to make sure it’s meeting its users’ needs and to understand how we could do it better.
Google Analytics stores information about what pages you visit, how long you are on the site, how you got here and what you click on. We do not collect or store your personal information (e.g. your name or address) so this information cannot be used to identify who you are. We do not allow Google to use or share our analytics data.
The following cookies are set by Google Analytics and are classed as ‘persistent’ as they are stored for a considerable time on your computer, but they only track your visits to londoncouncils.gov.uk and not any other sites you visit before or after:
|
Name |
Purpose |
Expires |
|
_utma |
Tracks number of visits to the site and times of first and last visits |
2 years |
|
_utmb |
Timestamps entry to a site |
30 minutes |
|
_utmc |
Timestamps exit from a site |
when you close your browser |
|
_utmx |
Optimiser |
2 years |
|
_utmxx |
Optimiser |
2 years |
|
_utmz |
Stores information on how the site was reached (e.g. direct or via a link, organic search or paid search) |
6 months |
For more information about Google Analytics visit Google Analytics
We also use another tool called SiteImprove to measure website usage and to help us monitor the quality of our website. Again, this does not track visits across websites, but only within londoncouncils.gov.uk. These again are classed as persistent.
|
Name |
Purpose |
Expires |
|
nmstat |
Stores data on website visitor behaviour |
924 days |
Translating content on our site and using Google Maps
We also use Google Translate tools to provide a machine-translation of any of our webpages. When you make a language choice, this is saved in a cookie file on your computer which means that this is remembered when you move from page-to-page. Google also uses these to see how many people are using these services. These again are classed as persistent.
|
Name |
Purpose |
Expires |
|
PREF |
Stores Google Translate/Map preference |
639 days |
|
NID |
Stores Google Translate/Map preference |
171 days |
|
HSID |
Stores Google Translate/Map preference |
3649 days |
|
APISID |
Stores Google Translate/Map preference |
3649 days |
|
SID |
Stores Google Translate/Map preference |
3649 days |
User accounts, logging in and adjusting preferences
Some personal preferences and access to restricted areas of our websites are controlled by logging in and by adjusting settings on preference panels. These set cookies so that you remain logged in for your session and so your details can be pre-populated into booking forms and other forms to speed up the experience of using our site and to help prevent errors when entering details into form fields.
|
Name |
Purpose |
Expires |
|
USERDETAILS |
Required for login function to work |
When you close browser session |
|
USERID |
Required for login function to work |
When you close browser session |
|
ASPSESSIONIDSCCRSDRD |
Required for login function to work |
Only valid for session |
|
PHPSESSID |
Required for login function to work |
When you close browser session |
Social bookmarking
Some of our pages allow you to share the content of the page on your own social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Diggit etc). If you click on these links, third party cookies from the social media sites may be placed on you computer to allow these features to work.
Personal data
Personal data (i.e. information which could identify you) submitted to us, for example in response to a consultation, will only be used to respond to your feedback. We will not pass it on to any third party (including other councils, Government departments or agencies) without your consent.
To delete cookies or reject cookies
You can manage the cookies stored on your computer, or turn them off completely through your browser setting, although this may affect your experience on our website or even prevent you from using certain features.
To manage cookies, visit your browser settings and edit the options available. If you would like to learn more about cookies, including how they have been set and how to manage them, visit https://www.allaboutcookies.org/