NEW data protection legislation has led to the creation of a £40,000-a-year post.

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has signed off on the appointment of a data protection officer due to new General Data Protection Regulations which came into force on Friday.

The role had to be filled or the office would be in breach of the law and at risk of sanctions from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

GDPR is a new data protection framework for the EU.

It also addresses the export of personal data outside the EU and European Economic Area.

The GDPR aims to give control to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU.

The legislation requires all public authorities to appoint a data protection officer to inform and advise the organisation and its employees about their obligation to comply with GDPR.

They must also monitor compliance.

For serious breachers, the ICO can issue penalty notices of up to £500,000.

Under GDPR this could be up to £20million or four per cent of annual turnover, whichever is the greater sum.

Carl Melling of Lancashire Constabulary has been appointed date protection officer (DPO) and will report directly to crime commissioner office director Angela Harrison.

In a report to Mr Grunshaw, she said: “Importantly, the GDPR specifically allows public authorities to share the DPO role with other organisations including other local authorities.

“In this instance the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner would propose to share a DPO with Lancashire Constabulary.

“The GDPR will introduce a duty on the DPO to report certain types of data breaches to the relevant supervisory authority, and in some cases, to the individuals affected.

“Also under GDPR a breach is more than just the loss of data, inappropriate access to personal data due to the lack of internal controls is also deemed a breach.

“A contribution to the post of DPO of £40,000 for 2018/19 will be made to Lancashire Constabulary."