Regulation of surveillance activities policy statement
Leeds City Council acknowledges that surveillance plays a necessary part in a number of local authority functions on a day to day basis. To meet our legal obligations we will:
- approve the principles of a code of practice reflecting the principles of the Covert Surveillance (Draft) Code of Practice issued by the Home Office;
- make sure the code of practice is adopted for each council function;
- make the code readily available to officers, elected members and customers;
- arrange for a central record of authorisations;
- make sure the self authorisation process is followed for intrusive as well as directed surveillance;
- ensure that surveillance is lawful under the human rights rules;
- provide guidance and training for elected members and officers at an appropriate level;
- ensure there are designated officers within each directorate, with responsibility for implementing the rules for surveillance activities;
- ensure the Chief Legal Officer monitors compliance with the rules for surveillance activities.
Monitoring compliance with this policy statement will include the following
- audits by the council's legal services;
- cross-audits by practitioners within directorates;
- reports by practitioners on the level of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act self-authorisations;
- checking samples of self-authorisations.