CCTV

CCTV Update - February 2008

2007 proved to be an extremely busy year for Huntingdonshire District Council's CCTV Scheme. The number of recorded incidents where CCTV was involved rose by 30% from 1772 in 2006 to 2127 in 2007. This also had a major impact on the number of arrests resulting from these incidents with a rise of 20% from 420 to 547 in the same period.

The arrest figures do not include those arrests made by police officers following retrospective viewing of the recorded images.

September 2007 also saw the move of the CCTV control room from Pathfinder House to a purpose built, state of the art, new control room at Eastfield House in Latham Road, Huntingdon. To coincide with this move the decision was taken to upgrade the recording system from videotape to hard drive recording. This has given the system much greater flexibility in replaying recorded material and producing copies for evidential purposes.

The CCTV scheme continues to promote its close liaison with Huntingdonshire Business Against Crime (HBAC) and its Shopwatch radio system enabling members to be in radio contact with each other and the CCTV control room thus having a major impact on shop related crime. The move to new premises also created the opportunity to upgrade the system.

This organisation covers the business in Huntingdon, St. Ives and St. Neots. Further details of HBAC can be obtained by telephoning 01480-457579 or by clicking the link on this page.

Huntingdonshire's CCTV Scheme

Huntingdonshire District Council’s Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Scheme covers the town centres and District Council controlled car parks of Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Ramsey, St. Ives and St. Neots.

In addition it also covers the Huntingdon, St. Ives and St. Neots Recreation Centres; as well as Mayfield Road and Sapley Square shopping areas and part of the St. Peters Road Industrial Estate in Huntingdon.

The CCTV control room also monitors pictures from alarm activated cameras in Hinchingbrooke Country Park, St. Barnabus Church Centre in Huntingdon and the new Memorial Centre in Brampton.

The control room, is located in Eastfield House, Latham Road, Huntingdon where all the cameras are monitored and recorded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no right of access to anyone other than authorised staff, those permitted for reviewing of recorded images or organised visits which are supervised by the CCTV Manager.

There ia also a facility to transmit live images to the Cambridgeshire Constabulary Communication Centre at Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon. They are only able to view the images and do not have the facility to control the cameras or record the images.

Aims and Objectives of the Scheme

To deter crime;
To assist in the detection of crime;
To reduce the fear of crime;
To improve public protection;
To improve the safety and security of residents, visitors and the business community who use the facilities in the
District;
To facilitate the apprehension and prosecution of offenders in both crime and
public order offences;
To deter vandalism;
To discourage anti-social behaviour, including alcohol and drug related issues;
To enhance generally the environment and
thereby improve the enjoyment of the District’s facilities by all who use them.

Operation of the Scheme

The CCTV Scheme is owned and operated by Huntingdonshire District Council. It is intended to detect and/or deter criminal and anti-social behaviour and reduce the fear of crime and so no interest is shown in people carrying out their legitimate business. The scheme is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Signs stating that CCTV cameras are operating are displayed in all the areas covered by the scheme.

The CCTV scheme is operated within a strict Code of Practice which is currently being updated (copies of which are available for inspection on request and by following the link on the right of this page). The viewing of private areas is strictly prohibited within this code.

Targeted observations are only undertaken within the scope of the key objectives set out in the Code of Practice and in accordance with both the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

All information is recorded onto digital hard drives and is retained for a maximum of 28 days during which time the Police may apply for access to the images for investigatory purposes. Under no circumstances is recorded information sold for commercial purposes or the provision of entertainment.

Photographs obtained from the recorded images are only produced to aid identification of offenders and are destroyed when no longer required.

All CCTV operators receive a high standard of training and act with the utmost integrity and within the bounds of the Code of Practice.

Police requests to view image recordings or photographs have to be authorised and must comply with the objectives of the scheme.

Subject Access

If you wish to exercise your rights of subject access as provided for in Section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 you will be required to make the request in writing on a Subject Access Request Form. All requests for subject access will be dealt with by the Director of Operational Services or a nominated deputy.

A written response to the request will be provided within 21 days of receipt, either setting out the steps intended to be taken to comply with the request or setting out the reasons for refusing the request.

A fee, not exceeding the prescribed maximum set by the Data Protection Commission, will be levied for the request. The Council also retain the right to charge an additional fee to cover its legitimate expenditure in fulfilling a subsequent request to view the data.

Complaints Procedure

If you have any cause to complain about any aspect of the Authority’s CCTV Scheme then you should contact, in writing, the Director of Operational Services at the address below.

For further information concerning the CCTV scheme and its operation please contact the CCTV Manager at the following address :

Huntingdonshire District Council, Pathfinder House, St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 3TN.

Or telephone 01480 388388.