Council still defiant in spying row

7:00pm Monday 23rd June 2008

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SPYING on a family over a school place was necessary' Borough of Poole has again insisted, after local government leaders condemned surveillance for trivial reasons.

In a letter sent to councils across the country Sir Simon Milton, Chairman of the Local Government Association, urged them to review the way in which they use their powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.

He said: "Save in the most unusual and extreme of circumstances, it is inappropriate to use these powers for trivial matters."

He added: "You will all know of the examples where councils have been criticised for using the powers in relation to issues that can be portrayed as trivial or not considered a crime by the public."

There was outcry after it emerged RIPA powers had been used to spy on Poole mum Jenny Paton and her family for almost three weeks over suspicions they were living out of the catchement area of their child's preferred school.

But Poole council has again maintained that was not a trivial but a "proportionate" use of the powers.

A council spokesman said: "The council believes that on the very few occasions it has sanctioned the use of surveillance, those actions have been necessary, proportionate and with the aim of protecting the rights of the vast majority of residents.

"The council does not use RIPA powers to tackle issues such as dog-fouling or littering.

"The use of surveillance methods in relation to school admission procedures is already scheduled to be reviewed by a council scrutiny committee in July."

Sir Simon also called for "the most careful consideration at the appropriate senior political and managerial level" when authorising surveillance, and for councils to carry out a yearly review of its use.