THE ripples from the stone the Daily Echo threw into the murky waters of council surveillance are still being felt a year on.

Last year, the Daily Echo revealed how Poole parents Tim Joyce and Jenny Paton were spied on by the Poole council to check the validity of their school application.

Yesterday, the Home Secretary announced a clampdown on using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) for such “trivial” reasons.

The review of the powers, originally introduced for counter terrorism purposes, has been widely welcomed.

For Jenny and her family, appalled at their treatment last year, it represents a huge step in their fight to see tighter controls on the use of the act.

“We are delighted with the move,” she said.

“It is why we went public with our story in the first instance.

“We want to see clearer safeguards put in place for its use.” A consultation will be launched to review: l which public authorities should be able to authorise Ripa techniques; l the purposes for which the powers should be used; l the seniority of officials able to authorise the use.

The Home Secretary admitted there were cases “where the act has been clearly misused”, such as for putting bins out on the wrong day and dog fouling.

It was the persistence of David Howard, chairman of Parkstone Bay Association, which led to Poole council admitting it was spying on the Paton family.

He said: “The government is now coming to the same conclusion that Parkstone Bay Association came to 18 months ago.

“We have said right from the start these decisions should be subject to scrutiny by a councillor. It should never be left to a junior council officer.”

Confusion reigned over when councils should be able to use the powers and what was deemed proportionate.

As the issue’s profile snowballed, it emerged that local authorities in England and Wales had used the act’s powers more than 10,000 times in five years.

Since the furore broke out, Poole council has said it will no longer use the powers to monitor school admissions.

It called on the government to clarify how the act should be used.

Cllr Brian Leverett, leader of the council, said: “The council has made only modest use of the act, but would welcome clearer guidance on how the legislation should be used. “The council has reviewed its existing Ripa procedures and is also introducing further safeguards.”

Jenny believes the surveillance powers should not fall to councils at all, but to trained police officers.

She also wants decisions on authorisation to be made by magistrates or elected councillors to remove the temptation of unscrupulous use.

“They just embraced the powers and used them with relish,” said Jenny, who is awaiting a response to the complaint she lodged with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.

The House of Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee highlighted “serious concerns” over use of the powers last year.

But the Home Secretary has said use of Ripa techniques can make a “real difference to people’s everyday lives” when it comes to matters like fly-tipping or rogue traders.