Milton urges surveillance caution

Councils face a public relations "death by 1,000 cuts" unless there is a proper debate over how surveillance powers are used, Sir Simon Milton (Con) has warned.

The Local Government Association chair this week wrote to the leader of every council in England calling on them to review how they applied powers to ensure authorities' surveillance actions maintained public support.

The Borough of Poole, which has been accused of using cloak and dagger tactics to check if families really live in the catchment area for particular schools, said it would carry out such a review immediately.

At Wyre BC, where community wardens go undercover to catch irresponsible dog owners, director of neighbourhood services Rob Posner said operations were routinely reviewed in the light of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

"People are supportive, and they do think we're doing the right things," he said.

Sir Simon said councils had to be sure that offences being targeted were serious enough for covert action, and that littering and dog fouling may not be.

"What I want the debate to be about is for the public to realise that councils can use surveillance technology where it's appropriate," he said.