Cookie policy
Cookies are small text files that may be placed on your computer when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work and to make them more efficient. Cookies also help website owners understand how you use the site so that they can make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
Find out how to manage cookies on the Information Commissioner’s Office website.
How we use cookies on Kent.gov.uk
Understanding how our website is used
Google Analytics (Universal Analytics)
We use Google Analytics to collect information about how you use this website (kent.gov.uk). We do this to help make sure the site is meeting your needs and to make improvements based on our findings.
Google Analytics stores information about:
- the pages you visit on Kent.gov.uk
- the time you spend on each page
- how you got to the site
- what you click on while you’re visiting the site
We don’t collect or store your personal information (for example your name or address) so we can’t identify who you are.
We don’t allow Google to use or share our analytics data.
Google Analytics use the following cookies:
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | This helps us count how many people visit our website by tracking if you’ve visited before. | 2 years |
| _gid | This helps us count how many people visit our website by tracking if you’ve visited before. | 24 hours |
| _gat | Used to manage the rate at which page view requests are made | 1 minute |
| _gat_rollup | Used to manage the rate at which page view requests are made. | 1 minute |
Google Analytics (ga.js) library
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| __utma | Like _ga, this lets us know if you’ve visited before, so we can count how many of our visitors are new to our website or to a certain page | 2 years |
| __utmb | This works with _utmc to calculate the average length of time you spend on our website | 30 minutes |
| __utmc | This works with _utmb to calculate when you close your browser | When you close your browser |
| __utmz | This tells us how you reached the website (for example from another website or a search engine) | 6 months |
You can opt out of Google Analytics cookies.
Hotjar
We sometimes run studies using Hotjar, which is a tool that helps us understand how users interact with the website.
The technology gives us information such as how much time users spend on a page, and what they choose to click on so that we can see what’s working well and what isn’t. We use this information to make improvements to the site to help users find what they’re looking for as easily as possible. We also use Hotjar to get feedback from users.
Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect information on the user such as their:
- behaviour
- device type
- IP addresses (stored anonymously)
- screen size
- browser
- geographic location (country only)
- preferred language
Hotjar stores this information in a pseudonymized user profile. Neither Hotjar nor we will ever use this information to identify individual users or to match it with further data on an individual user. Find out how Hotjar manages data for more information.
You can stop Hotjar from collecting your data by opting out on their website.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _hjClosedSurveyInvites | Used to ensure that the same invite to a Feedback Poll does not re-appear if it has already been shown. | 365 days |
| _hjDonePolls | Used to ensure that the same feedback poll does not re-appear if it has already been filled in. | 365 days |
| _hjMinimizedPolls | Used to ensure that the Feedback Poll widget stays minimized when the visitor navigates through our site. | 365 days |
| _hjDoneTestersWidgets | This cookie is set once a visitor submits their information in the Recruit User Testers widget. It is used to ensure that the same form does not re-appear if it has already been filled in. | 365 days |
| _hjMinimizedTestersWidgets | This cookie is set once a visitor minimizes a Recruit User Testers widget. It is used to ensure that the widget stays minimized when the visitor navigates through our site. | 365 days |
| _hjDoneSurveys | This cookie is set once a visitor completes a survey. It is used to only load the survey content if the visitor hasn't completed the survey yet. | 365 days |
| _hjIncludedInSample | This session cookie is set to let Hotjar know whether that visitor is included in the sample which is used to generate Heatmaps, Funnels, Recordings, etc. | 365 days |
| _hjShownFeedbackMessage | This cookie is set when a visitor minimizes or completes Incoming Feedback. This is done so that the Incoming Feedback will load as minimized immediately if user navigate to another page where it is set to show. | 365 days |
You can opt out of Google Analytics cookies.
UserZoom
We use UserZoom to get feedback from users about what they think of our website so we can make improvements to help them find what they’re looking for. We also carry out user testing with a pool of users who have agreed to take part in exercises relating to possible content updates. You can find more information on UserZoom’s privacy policy.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| s1 | This cookie is the configuration of the filters that the user has applied in the Study List. Filters such as Project Name, ID, Completes, Status, etc... | 4 years |
| slive | Cookie value defines how long the user’s logged in session lasts before automatically logging them out after being idle and not interacting with the page. This cookie has a different value depending on the account configuration. | Expires when browser session ends |
| uzadmin | This cookie is activated when the user checks the “Remember Me” checkbox in the login page. It’s made so that when we want to login as administrators again, the email address is automatically filled out with the value of that cookie. | 1 month |
| _ga | This is a Google Analytics integration cookie. | 2 years |
| _gat | This is a Google Analytics integration cookie. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| _gat_UZTracker | This is a Google Analytics integration cookie. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| <Study code and profile encoded in base64> | This prevents access to a study that a participant has already completed using the same browser. | 1 year |
| uzstudy | This contains the necessary information in order to install the UZ Add-on. | 364 days |
| UZ_TI_S_<CODE> | It provides the site intercept with the study and profile codes that are required to initiate the study. | 20 days (can be changed by system administrator) |
| UZ_TI_dc_value | It prevents participants from seeing the site intercept again, as this cookie is exclusively added when participants have already seen it once. | 20 days (can be changed by system administrator) |
| iduser | It indicates the participant ID to relate it with the data sent to the server. | 1 year |
| uzchkcookie | It detects if the browser allows cookies to be added. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| ASP.NET_SessionId | It identifies the information that is sent from a browser into the server. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| AWSELB | Used to help maintain technical performance (load balancing). | 1 hour |
| uzlb2 | performance (load balancing). | Expires when the browser session ends |
YouTube
We use YouTube to embed videos on some pages of the site. YouTube sets cookies when you visit one of these pages to give us information on the number of times a video is viewed and the type of browser used to view it.
For more information visit the YouTube Privacy and Safety Centre
GovMetric
We use GovMetric to capture users’ feedback. Further information about how GovMetrics works and what information they use can be found on the GovMetric privacy page.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| AWSELB | Used for load balancing. | 5 minutes |
| ASP.NET_SessionId | Used to maintain user sessions while a survey is being competed. | Expires when the browser session ends |
Enabling website functionality
Our cookie banner
You may see a notification when you visit our website to let you know that we are using cookies.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| complianceCookie | Used to prevent the cookie banner from showing repeatedly. | 365 days |
Alert messages
We might display a message on our website to tell you about an important event or situation. We use local storage to help us update alert messages periodically.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| globalAlertContent (local storage) | Used to store contents of the current global alert and display it if it is switched on. | Does not expire |
| globalAlertLastChecked (local storage) | Used to determine the time of the last check for an updated global alert. | Does not expire |
| globalAlertToggle (local storage) | Used to determine whether or not to display the global alert. | Does not expire |
| globalAlertContent (local storage) | Used to store contents of the current global alert and display it if it is toggled on. | Does not expire |
Squiz Matrix
We use the following cookie to authenticate users:
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| SQ_SYSTEM_SESSION | Used primarily to enable login functionality to enable our content editors to make changes to our website. | Expires when the browser session ends |
Knowledge Base
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| JSESSIONID | Used to authenticate against the Knowledge Base system, which allows pulling information from it. This is used on the “Blue Badge not received page” page. | Expires when the browser session ends |
CloudFlare
We use CloudFlare to help improve the delivery of website assets such as style sheets and JavaScript files.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _cfduid | Used to identify individual users of the CloudFlare asset hosting service, behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. | 365 days |
Open Objects on local.kent.gov.uk
The directory on local.kent.gov.uk uses the following cookies:
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| complianceCookie | Used to remember dismissal of the cookie banner to prevent it from popping up again. | 365 days |
| __KBLoggedIn__ | Used to check if a user has signed into the website. Toggles various site features only accessible by account holders. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| __KBCookie__/kent/directory/ | Used to store directory information such as saved shortlist records. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| kbroker_presence_controller (local storage) | Used to store website accessibility settings. | Does not expire |
| JSESSIONID | Used for session management. | Expires when the browser session ends |
Open Objects on local.kent.gov.uk also uses the Google Analytics (ga.js) library cookies.
Agilisys Engage
Our web chat feature is a function of Agilisys Engage. The platform does not record any personal information such as the IP address of the device you use to view our site. Personal data is only captured if you enter it yourself within a chat session.
Agilisys Engage helps us to understand when visitors make more than one visit to our website. We use standard tracking tools to remember that you have been to our site before. The tracking technology is called a ‘cookie’.
The Agilisys Engage tool uses the following cookies:
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| LGNref | This cookie stores the profiling data e.g. the most recent web pages visited. | 1 year |
| PHPSESSID | Server session management. | Expires when the browser session ends |
| _lgn_cscv2 | This cookie stores the unique anonymous ID of each visitor. | 1 year |
Web chat transcripts are stored for a limited customer configurable period of 30 or 60 days before being automatically deleted from the Engage Platform.
Agilisys Engage requires the use of third party cookies to operate and therefore the existing “Cookie Law” is relevant.
Inovem
This software is used for our Consultation Directory.
We use Inovem Consult to provide a full list of KCC's past, current and planned consultations. This is to help you find the opportunities available so you can let us know what you think about the local services and policies that matter to you. For more information about the cookies it uses please visit the Kahootz website. You can also see our consultations privacy notices for more information.
iCasework
We use the iCasework software to manage customer feedback (including complaints) about KCC and its services.
It uses session cookies when you submit your feedback using our online form. These help to maintain your place in the online form as you complete it.
See our Customer Feedback Privacy Notice for more information.