COUNCIL bosses put the safety of vulnerable people at risk by leaving confidential information in an abandoned building, a watchdog has ruled.

The Information Commissioner has fined Hampshire County Council £100,000 after staff left dozens of bags of highly sensitive information in a former council office.

The social care files and 45 bags of confidential waste contained highly sensitive personal details of more than 100 vulnerable people, both adults and children.

The shocking oversight was not discovered for two years. It only came to light when the new owners of the property found the material.

Council chiefs were criticised for failing to have a proper procedure in place to check that no sensitive information was left in the building.

Hampshire County Council has apologised but refused to rule out appealing against the fine.

Steve Eckersley, head of enforcement at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), said: “Hampshire County Council failed to ensure that highly sensitive personal data about adults and children in vulnerable circumstances was disposed of.

“The council knew the building had housed a department that dealt with confidential information and should have had a proper procedure in place to check no personal data was left in the building. Organisations must implement effective contingency plans to protect personal data when decommissioning buildings.

“The council’s failure to look after this information was irresponsible. It not only broke the law but put vulnerable people at risk.

“If the information had ended up in the wrong hands it could have had distressing consequences.”

Cllr Chris Wood, leader of the UK Independence Party group on Hampshire County Council, told the Daily Echo: “This is an outrageously irresponsible and ultimately very expensive mistake which absolutely cannot be allowed happen again. We must be given a clear explanation as to how this occurred and cast iron assurances that it will not be repeated.”

The new owners bought Town End House in Havant, where the documents were found, in August 2014 after Hampshire County Council’s adults and children’s services department left the building in 2012.

For two years any potential buyer had access to the building and could have found the personal information.

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: “We are very sorry that this incident occurred. Hampshire County Council takes the management and protection of its data very seriously. Accordingly, appropriate procedures were in place at the time, but unfortunately, on this occasion, the process was not fully adhered to. However, at no time was any information disclosed outside of the site.

“Immediate steps were taken to investigate the matter fully, and remedial action was taken. This has included strengthened and improved processes in the removal of, and destruction of, confidential waste from vacated buildings.

“We reported the incident to the ICO as soon as we became aware of it, which was at the point the company referred the incident to the county council – and have co-operated fully at all stages of the ICO’s investigation. We are currently considering the ICO’s decision.”

The spokesman refused to rule out an appeal against the £100,000 fine.