Anger over council use of spy laws

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Some local authorities have used the Act more than 100 times in the past 12 months to conduct surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa).

The Press Association contacted 97 councils to find out how they were using the powers, originally designed to combat crime and terrorism.

It followed the controversy surrounding the case of a family in Poole, Dorset, who were tracked covertly for nearly three weeks to check they lived in a school catchment area.

The same council has made similar checks on two other families in the last year using Ripa - and it defended its actions, saying the cases were treated as potential criminal activity, which allowed them to spy under the Act.

The majority of councils that responded said the surveillance was mainly used to combat rogue traders, benefit fraud, counterfeit goods and anti-social behaviour - like noise nuisance and criminal damage.

But the research found the law was also used to find out about people who let their dog foul, a breach of planning law, an animal welfare case and an instance of littering.

Surveillance was also used to investigate alleged misuse of a disabled parking badge.

The findings, which come from 46 of the 468 local authorities in the UK, have fuelled the debate on the surveillance culture in Britain and whether councils are using Ripa, which has been dubbed "a snoopers' charter", proportionately.

Privacy International director Simon Davies called for a "root and branch review" of Ripa and questioned the huge cost to the taxpayer of the council surveillance.