Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE LEGAL REGULATORY TEAM MANAGER

This Report updates on the Council’s current use of RIPA and reports on the annual policy review.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the content of the report.

(2)       That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend to Cabinet the adoption of the RIPA Policy as amended (Appendix A).

(3)       That the Scrutiny Officer add the RIPA policy to the work programme.

(4)       That the Legal Regulatory Team Manager check whether an annual report would meet the requirements of the IPCO audit.

REASON FOR DECISION: To comply with best practice guidance and the Committee’s terms of reference.

Audio recording -  Session 1 – 20:18 (20 minutes)

The report of the Legal Regulatory Team Manager updated Members on the Council’s current use of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and set out the annual policy review.

The Home Office had published a revised Code of Practice on Covert Surveillance and Property Interference (regarding social networking sites) and the Council’s RIPA policy has been updated to ensure that it was complaint and was included in Appendix A.

Other notable amendments included extending overt surveillance, Guidance Note for the Committee on handling CHIS’s, reference to the National Anti-Fraud Network Single Point of Contact service.

In addition Members noted that there had been no new authorisations to use RIPA and there were no current authorisations as per the last quarter.

A discussion followed and Members of the Committee took part:

Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb

Members raised that a quarterly update on RIPA was unnecessary and ought to be brought to the Committee once a year.  However it was noted that it was important that audit requirements were met and Members remained aware of the policy.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the content of the report.

(2)       That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend to Cabinet the adoption of the RIPA Policy as amended (Appendix A).

(3)       That the Scrutiny Officer add the RIPA policy to the work programme.

(4)       That the Legal Regulatory Team Manager check whether an annual report would meet the requirements of the IPCO audit.

REASON FOR DECISION: To comply with best practice guidance and the Committee’s terms of reference.