Warning over spying car park cameras

Using council CCTV cameras to spy on Audlem village car park will need special government approval, councillors will be warned.

Cheshire East is carrying out a review of its CCTV cameras in a bid to cut the annual operational bill of £462,000.

Officials were asked to look into using of CCTV cameras on council car parks to deal with parking offences and serving penalty notices.

But the council's Community Safety Scrutiny Committee, meeting at the end of May, will be told "any camera equipment intended for use for civil enforcement purposes would need to be specifically approved by the Department for Transport."

Cheshire East currently operates 256 CCTV cameras in 14 towns and villages across the borough but it needs to trim £250,000 from next year's estimated operational budget of £462,000.

Using cameras to enforce car parking fines could help offset running costs and officers were asked last February to look at implications of the idea.

But councillors will be told the Home Office Code of Practice says councils must establish 'surveillance by consent' and only use cameras to 'support public safety and law enforcement.'

"Civil enforcement of parking is not a criminal matter," warns the report from the Head of Community Services. "It can be considered intrusive especially if it is perceived to be used irresponsibly or could be seen to interfere with the public's right to privacy."

The report reminds councillors that Cheshire East "has always sought to use CCTV responsibly and with integrity to protect public safety . . . the public should have confidence in our service and our primary use of CCTV to prevent and detect crime and disorder."

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