Agenda item - Annual Surveillance Report 2025

RESOLVED –

That the Audit, Standards, and General Purposes Committee:

1)       Approves the continued use of covert surveillance as an enforcement tool to prevent and detect crime and disorder investigated by its officers, providing the activity is in line with the Council’s Policy and Guidance and the necessity and proportionality rules are stringently applied.

2)       Note the surveillance activity undertaken by the authority since the report to Committee in January 2025 as set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report.

3)       Approve the continued use of the Policy and Guidance document as set out in Appendix 1 in its updated form.

49.1    The committee considered the Annual Surveillance Report appraising the committee of the activities that have been undertaken utilising the powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) since the last report to Committee in January 2025 and introducing an updated Policy and Guidance document.

49.2    Councillors Guilmant, Hewitt, Meadows, and West asked questions and contributed to the debate of the report.

49.3    RESOLVED –

That the Audit, Standards, and General Purposes Committee:

1)       Approves the continued use of covert surveillance as an enforcement tool to prevent and detect crime and disorder investigated by its officers, providing the activity is in line with the Council’s Policy and Guidance and the necessity and proportionality rules are stringently applied.

2)       Note the surveillance activity undertaken by the authority since the report to Committee in January 2025 as set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report.

3)       Approve the continued use of the Policy and Guidance document as set out in Appendix 1 in its updated form.