Issue - meetings

Report of the Monitoring Officer (enclosed)

The Monitoring Officer presented a report that updated members on a recent inspection that had taken place in September 2016 to assess compliance with our obligations under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA). A copy of the Inspection Report undertaken by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners was appended to the report.

The Council has not granted a RIPA authorisation of any sort for a number of years and none since the last inspection. The report therefor confined itself to addressing how the Council complied with the recommendations of the last inspection and a review of current systems.

Member’s attention was drawn to three areas of improvement that included minor factual changes to the body of the RIPA Policy, an expansion on guidance relating to social media and a review of the policy on the use of CCTV to reflect the newly refurbished suite situated within the police station. This would be undertaken jointly with the police to reflect that it is primarily used by them.

Members queried why the Chief Executive being appointed as the RIPA Senior Responsible Officer was considered unusual and were informed that although in many authorities this responsibility lies with the Monitoring Officer, the Council had taken the stance that as requests are so infrequent it would be more prudent for the Chief Executive to consider and authorise any requests.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.