This explains what you need to know about how the Somerset Intelligence website uses cookies, and how to choose to manage or remove them if you wish to do so.
Summary
Cookies are small data files which are sent to a user’s computer or mobile phone from a website and are stored on the hard drive of the user’s device. They are helpful because they help to make a website work better for a user. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser's preferences allow it. Many websites do this whenever a user visits their website in order to report on website traffic. Your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other websites.
Managing / Deleting Cookies
Internet browsers allow users to manage their cookies. They can set their devices to accept all cookies, to let them know when a cookie has been set, or never to receive cookies.
Each browser works in a different way: use the ‘Help’ menu in your browser to find out to change your cookie preferences. For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you should refer to your handset manual. Please be aware that disabling cookies completely means that certain personalised features will not then be provided to that user and therefore they may not be able to make full use of all of the website’s features.
You can learn more about cookies and how to manage them at AboutCookies.org
Performance Cookies
Google Analytics
Google sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. This to ensure that the service is available when you want it and fast.
These cookies are used to store information, such as what time your current visit occurred, whether you have been to the site before, and what site referred you to the web page. These cookies contain no personally identifiable information but they will use your computer's IP address to know from where in the world you are accessing the Internet. Google stores the information collected by these cookies on servers in the United States. Google may transfer this information to third-parties where required to do so by law, or where such third-parties process the information on Google's behalf.
These cookies are classed by the ICO as 'minimally intrusive'.
Cookie Names - __utma, __utmb, __utmc, __utmv, __utmz
Data Stored - A random unique number or string of letters and numbers to identify your browser, the times and dates that you interacted with the site recently and the marketing materials or referring pages that led you to the site.
Expiry - The longest lasting cookie expires 2 years after your last visit to the website. Others are deleted 6 months, 30 minutes and the moment you close your browser
Google Analytics Privacy Policy
Opt out of Google Analytics
Other third party Cookies
Some of our web pages use third party services or software, such as maps, online videos or social networking features which we hope improves the use and interaction between our communication channels. Some of these services may set cookies on your device which you can block or remove by altering the settings of your browser.
Google Maps
Cookie Names - SID, HSID, NID, PREF
Data stored - Various unique identifiers, except for PREF which stores your options such as preferred zoom level.
Expiry - 2 years
AddThis
These cookies allow users of the SINe site to share content via Social Networking websites and email using the small AddThis widget on webpages. These are used on a number of SINe web pages. More information on the cookies set by AddThis and how to opt out are on the AddThis website.
Cookie Names - uid, uvc, uit, psc
Expiry - 2 years, except uit which expires at the end of the session.
In 2014 14.9% of Somerset households were estimated to be in fuel poverty. - Fuel poverty