HAMMERSMITH Town Hall is under fire for selling on residents’ personal details to private companies.

It was among 300 local authorities who sold on voters' details, obtained legally through an edited electoral register, to organisations ranging from estate agents, pizza shops and charities. There are fears the sale of personal data leads to a surge in junkmail and could deter people from registering to vote.

Hammersmith and Fulham sold 32 lists for just £2,200 to organisations such as H&F Primary Care Trust, Perfect Pizza and Electoral Reform Services.

H&F deputy leader, Councillor Greg Smith said: "The council has no choice but to hand over this information as the scheme is operated under regulations set by central government."

But Big Brother Watch, the privacy pressure group which compiled the data from freedom of information requests, said the sale of personal information by public authorities, particularly for marketing purposes "should never be routine". A spokesman added: "It undermines trust and confidence in the wider public sector’s ability to protect people’s privacy and potentially deters people from engaging in a critical part of our democracy."

The pressure group warned that very few people are aware they can permanently opt-out of the edited lists.

Westminster Council was found to be the worst local authority in the country for selling on names and addresses - after doing so 93 times in the last five years, generating a total of £6,240. Kensington & Chelsea came third nationally after Elmbridge in Surrey, when the sale of 64 lists raked in £7,000. Buyers included estate agents Foxtons, Queensgate School in South Kensington and Kensington Court Residents Association.

Ealing Council passed on details for £3,600 to 19 buyers including Northolt Fairview Residents Association, Durston House Prep School in Ealing and St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, Shepherd’s Bush.

Westminster Council’s lead for finance, Councillor Melvyn Caplan, said: “The number of requests is something that the council has no influence over. We operate the scheme under the regulations set by central government.”

Ealing Council also defended its choice to sell data. A council spokeswoman said: “The council is legally obliged to make publicly available a full list of the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote in Ealing. We keep an edited version of this list which can be bought by companies and used for commercial purposes. Our electoral registration forms states clearly what the edited list can be used for and shows in bold typeface how residents can opt out of appearing on it. Any money raised by selling this edited list is used to help fund the cost of compiling the electoral register every year."

Sky and an Arabic school in Slough were among 17 buyers who purchased personal details from Hounslow Council for a total of £3,250 between 2007 and 2012.

Big Brother Watch said 66,750 Westminster residents, 47 per cent of voters, chose to opt-out in 2012, but none have done so permanently.

Councils who sold on personal details:

Westminster - 93 times for £6,240

Kensington & Chelsea - 64 times for £7,000

Hammersmith & Fulham - 32 times for £2,230

Ealing - 19 times for £3,600

Hounslow - 17 times for £3,250

What do you think? Should councils be forbidden from selling on voters' details, even if the sale of the list helps to cover the cost of maintaining an electoral role? Post your views in the comment box below.