Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Council’s current Regulation of Investigatory Powers Policy and Code of Practice (updated in 2016) has been reviewed. It requires updating to reflect changes brought into effect through the Regulation of Investigatory Powers legislative framework and to take account of changes to Council personnel that have occurred over the previous three years. The opportunity has also been taken to improve the clarity of the policy where it has been appropriate to do so.

This Report also provides an update on the recent use of the powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

That the Scrutiny Committee considers and notes changes to the RIPA Policy the content of the RIPA monitoring report

Officer contact: Vicki Bates, 0161 474 3219, vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a summary of surveillance carried out under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) in the second quarter (July to September) of 2019. The Council’s current Regulation of Investigatory Powers Policy and Code of Practice (updated in 2016) had also been reviewed to reflect changes in the legislative framework and in Council personnel, and to improve the clarity of the policy where appropriate.

The Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning & Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

It was reported that since publication of the report the Council’s policy had been reviewed by Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office and further minor amendments were likely to be needed once the final report of that process had been received by the Council. A further report would be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee in due course.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.