EDITOR'S CHOICE GOLFING GREATNESS Ben, eight, is a Small wonder on the fairway STAGE AND MUSIC GUIDE What's On Live! NEW RELEASE WALL.E (U) ***** OUT ON DVD Redacted (15) Optimum **** GIBSON ON THE BOX A bone to pick GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 WALL.E (U) ***** 2 'WORST EVER' QUEUES 3 Traders fume as council sells Pokesdown's only car park 4 DANNY IS A DOUBT 5 Anger grows at 'bedroom tax' 6 Royal Marine dies in crash 7 Council too ‘defensive’ over formal complaints 8 Josh fronts up in Tatnam victory 9 NEXT WEEK KEY FOR CHERRIES 10 Fresh bid for landfill homes Today | 7 Days 1 Strike shuts down services 2 ‘Fine the parents of children who cause night street crime’ 3 GOLD TEETH A GIFT FROM GOD? 4 SCHOOL FATE IS FINAL INSULT 5 BAKER AND SAVI TO TAKE CHARGE 6 Mothers get their anger off their chests 7 NEXT WEEK KEY FOR CHERRIES 8 MOSS'S MISERY 9 £45m revamp for airport is back on track 10 Walkout heralds start of summer of strikes

BOURNEMOUTH council said it does not snoop on people suspected of cheating on school admission applications, only those suspected of benefit fraud.

A spokesman for Bournemouth Borough Council said that unlike the Borough of Poole, it has never used surveillance on families suspected of lying to get their children into certain schools.

But between April 1 last year and the end of March this year, council officers carried out six covert surveillance operations in respect of benefit fraud investigations.

Andrew Broad, senior investigation officer in the revenue and benefits department, said: "Many lines of enquiry are pursued to prove or disprove allegations of benefit fraud.

"The council uses directed surveillance in cases where it is considered necessary and proportionate and is only normally used when other less intrusive lines of enquiry are ineffective."

He said such work is always approved by a senior manager.

A spokesman for the council said: "The council is permitted to undertake directed, covert surveillance operations or investigations for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime, including fraud, or disorder.

"The council predominantly uses directed, covert surveillance in connection with individual members of the public for the purpose of the detection of benefit fraud."

They said the council is not allowed to undertake intrusive, covert investigations such as bugging devices to intercept communications.

Cabinet member for communications at the council Nick King said he thought residents might be reassured if an independent body was required to look at the evidence and agree covert surveillance was necessary before the council exercised this powers.

He said: "There are issues about the extent to which the state has powers to check up on you.

"People may get the impression local government is spying on people unnecessarily but they should not be aggrieved if there is a reasonable degree of suspicion.

"Insurance companies do it the whole time," he added.

Spokesmen for Dorset County Council and Hampshire County Council said that they did not conduct covert surveillance of individuals.

7:00am Saturday 12th April 2008

Print

Email this