Issue - meetings

RIPA Policy Report

Meeting: 20/07/2021 - Council (Item 10)

10 RIPA Policy Report pdf icon PDF 124 KB

To consider the RIPA Policy report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Interim Chief Executive spoke to the report. He said the item was urgent and had been brought to Council in order to action a number of unfulfilled commitments left from the previous RIPA review.

 

Councillor Freeman said he had been briefed on the subject and said it was a matter, in the main, for first tier councils. 

 

Councillor Light said she was alarmed at the contents of the report. She asked for a full and detailed briefing to ensure Members were informed before voting on the matter. She proposed that the report be referred back to the report author, and for further information and training to be provided before the item was brought back to Council.

 

Councillor Dean seconded the proposal.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Emanuel, the Chief Executive said the procedures related to the operation of CCTV cameras and surveillance, and ensuring that the correct safeguards were in place.

 

Councillor Isham said he did not feel adequately briefed on the subject and asked for further information before taking an informed vote on the matter.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Bagnall regarding the urgency of the item, the Chief Executive referred to the report and pointed out that the Council were at risk of breaching legal requirements if the recommendation was not approved.

 

Councillor Lees said she was bemused; the report had been available for a week and information should have been sought before the decision was brought to Council.

 

Councillor Khan asked why were there outstanding actions following the inspector’s previous review and why had this not been brought to the attention of the GAP Committee. This raised concerns with the way in which the Council managed risk. He added that this should be referred to the GAP Committee.

 

Councillor Lavelle, Chair of the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee, said Enforcement Officers needed a clear, compliant policy in order to carry-out their obligations. He said the policy was clear and well written, and the issue around covert surveillance was a red herring. In the main, the CCTV within the remit of the district council related only to security surveillance on council premises. He commended the report.  

 

Councillor Light said further training and information were required before voting on the matter. She said sufficient training on the issue was required otherwise the Council would be at risk of falling into disrepute or legal challenge.    

 

Councillor Barker said the Council had an existing RIPA Policy and the recommendation was simply bringing the Policy up to date and ensuring that officers had sufficient training.

 

The Chair took the proposal to refer the report back to the report author to a vote.

 

The motion was defeated.

 

The Chair returned to the recommendation outlined in the report and moved to a vote.

 

RESOLVED to:

 

i.              Adopt the RIPA policy annexed to the report and set in place provisions for training to be undertaken by relevant key officials.

ii.             Amend the Council’s scheme of delegation as set out in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10