CCTV Coverage and Information

The request was partially successful.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please provide information on the following:

i) The number of CCTV cameras installed in public areas which are controlled, monitored or operated by Bradford City Council and the general capability of those cameras (i.e resolution, frames per second, remote movement/focus control, viable range).

- Do any of the cameras have infra-red capabilities? If so, where are they located?

ii) How many staff are involved in the monitoring of the CCTV feeds.

iii) If any of the Council's monitoring provisions include audio capabilities.

iv) The location/address of the Council's main monitoring station.

v) If there is a database or list of locations of installed
cameras.

vi) If (v) exists does it contain information on the capabilities of those cameras (i.e. resolution, frames per second and infra-red capabilities) or the direction / target of those cameras.

vii) If (v) is true, for a copy of said database to be supplied.

viii) What is the data retention time of the images recorded.

ix) Is there any ancillary equipment being used that can
automatically track a single individual between cameras, or
automatically detect an individual within a number of camera feeds based on a previous facial image (e.g. neural net software).

x) If the CCTV scheme is subcontracted, the names of the companies subcontracted to and the approximate annual costs paid.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Kirkcaldy

Phil Holmes, Bradford City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Sir

In response to your recent enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act

i) The number of CCTV cameras installed in public areas which are
controlled, monitored or operated by Bradford City Council and the general
capability of those cameras (i.e. resolution, frames per second, remote
movement/focus control, viable range).

The control room operates and controls 182 Cameras transmitted back to
the control room at real time (25fps). Please see attached list for camera
functionality.

- Do any of the cameras have infra-red capabilities? If so, where are
they located?

No. None of the cameras have infra-red capability

ii) How many staff are involved in the monitoring of the CCTV feeds.

15 staff are employed to monitor the CCTV images

iii) If any of the Council's monitoring provisions include audio
capabilities.

No

iv) The location/address of the Council's main monitoring station.

I am withholding information regarding the location/address of the
Council's main monitoring station under Section 38 - Health and Safety of
the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as the disclosure of this information
may endanger the safety of staff working in the Control Room.

Section 38 is a qualified exemption and therefore, I am required to carry
out a public interest test to consider whether the information should be
released or not.

The argument in favour of release of this information is that disclosure
would facilitate openness and transparency of the operation of CCTV by
the Council.

The argument against the release of this information is that the public
authority owes a duty of care to its employees. Due to the nature of the
work which is associated with crime and disorder and as officers often
work unsocial hours, disclosing the location of the Control Room, may
result in those employees being threatened and endanger their safety.

In this instance I am of the opinion that having applied the public
interest test above the balance in withholding the requested information
under Section 38 of the Act outweighs that of disclosure.

v) If there is a database or list of locations of installed cameras.

Yes

vi) If (v) exists does it contain information on the capabilities of
those cameras (I.e. resolution, frames per second and infra-red
capabilities) or the direction / target of those cameras.

No

vii) If (v) is true, for a copy of said database to be supplied.

List attached

viii) What is the data retention time of the images recorded.

31 days

ix) Is there any ancillary equipment being used that can automatically
track a single individual between cameras, or automatically detect an
individual within a number of camera feeds based on a previous facial
image (e.g. neural net software).

No

x) If the CCTV scheme is subcontracted, the names of the companies
subcontracted to and the approximate annual costs paid.

The CCTV system is run in-house

If you are not satisfied with this reply you may ask for a review of this
decision by contacting [Bradford City Council request email] or by writing to Freedom of
Information, 4th Floor, Jacobs Well, Bradford BD1 5RW.

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review you
have the right of appeal to the Information Commissioner who can be
contacted at:

Information Commissioner.$B!G.(Bs Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545700

URL: [1]http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Regards

Phil Holmes

CCTV Manager

Department of Regeneration - making great places

Asset Management .$B!|.(B Economic Development .$B!|.(B Housing .$B!|.(B
Planning .$B!|.(B Transportation & Highways

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

T 01274 437755

M 07810 637842

F 01274 393631

E [email address]

W www.bradford.gov.uk

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Heather Brooke left an annotation ()

You could argue the refusal to release the location of the control room. This is not a state secret and the council's argument for making it so is based on disaster-movie speculation rather than any actual evidence or fact. The location of Westminister's cctv control room is widely known and that is surely of greater interest than Bradford City Counicl.
see: http://www.newstatesman.com/200610020022