CCTV cameras in schools
Dear Aberdeen City Council,
Do all Aberdeen schools have video surveillance cameras?
Where are these cameras typically located in a school?
What is the purpose of these surveillance cameras in schools?
Are the cameras ever used to monitor childrens’ behaviour in the playground?
Is footage recorded?
How long is footage kept for?
Who can access the recorded footage?
Yours faithfully,
Anne Minty
Dear Dr Minty,
Information enquiry reference FOI-19-0647.
Many thanks for your recent clarification of your information request,
which we received on 9 May 2019.
The scheduled date for our response to your request for information is on
or before 7 June 2019.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any queries in the
meantime.
Yours sincerely,
Access to Information Team
[1]ACC_Crest_for Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
mac email Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College |Business Hub 17, 3^rd Floor | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
[2]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
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Dear Foi Enquiries,
The response to my request has been delayed.
By law the authority should have responded promptly.
Yours sincerely,
Anne Minty
Dear Aberdeen City Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Aberdeen City Council's handling of my FOI request 'CCTV cameras in schools'.
I have not received a response within the statutory time limit.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
Yours faithfully,
Anne Minty
Dear Ms Minty,
Thank you for your request for a review, received on 11 June 2019, to
reconsider the information request FOI-19-0647 – CCTV in Schools on the
basis that you have yet to receive a response from Aberdeen City Council
(ACC). Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), if an
applicant writes to ACC expressing dissatisfaction with the way in which
ACC has dealt with their request (this includes enquiring about the status
of a late response), ACC must treat this as a formal request for review.
The applicant does not need to specifically ask for a review.
In accordance with the timescales set out in FOISA, you should receive a
review outcome on or before 09 July 2019. If a response to your
information request is provided on or before that date, this will be
deemed to be the review outcome. If ACC fails to provide you with a
response by that date, you can apply to the Office of the Scottish
Information Commissioner (OSIC) to make a decision. Please refer to the
Further Information section below.
I would also take this opportunity to advise you that you will have no
further opportunities to seek a review at local authority level after your
response has been provided, as FOISA allows applicants to have one review
only. If you receive your response and disagree with any aspect of it, you
should contact OSIC directly.
Yours sincerely,
Salomeh Kheyri Rad
On behalf of Review Panel Clerk
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your request for an internal
review, you can apply directly to the Office of the Scottish Information
Commissioner (OSIC) for a decision. Generally, OSIC cannot make a decision
unless you have been through the ACC’s review procedure. To make an
application to OSIC, please write or email OSIC at:
The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
[1]www.itspublicknowledge.info
An application to OSIC must be made in writing within six months of
receipt of ACC’s Review Decision Notice. When applying to OSIC for a
decision you should give your name and address for correspondence. Please
note that OSIC will not be able to investigate if you have not used your
real name to make your information request. You must also specify:
You must also specify:
● which request for information your requirement for review relates to
● the reason that you asked ACC to carry out a review of your request
● the reason why you are not satisfied with ACC's review outcome decision
The Commissioner will contact ACC and invite its comments on your
application. Thereafter (if no settlement has meantime been reached), the
Commissioner must reach a decision within 4 months of receiving your
application, or within such other period as is reasonable. You will
receive written notice of the outcome of the Commissioner’s decision.
Should you wish to appeal against the Scottish Information Commissioner's
decision, there is an appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law
only. Any such appeal must be made within 42 days after the date of the
decision has been issued.
[2]ACC_Crest_for Salomeh Kheyri Rad | Access to Information Officer
mac email
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College | Business Hub 17 | 3^rd Floor | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
[3]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/
3. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/
Dear Ms Minty,
Thank you for your email of 11 June 2019 May 2019 requesting that Aberdeen
City Council (ACC) review its handling of your request as we failed to
meet the 20 working days deadline. Please accept our sincere apologies for
delay in providing you the response. I can now advise you that we have
undertaken an internal review of our decision and the findings are set out
below.
Review details
Do all Aberdeen schools have video surveillance cameras?
Where are these cameras typically located in a school?
What is the purpose of these surveillance cameras in schools?
Are the cameras ever used to monitor childrens’ behaviour in the
playground?
Is footage recorded?
How long is footage kept for?
Who can access the recorded footage?
Review outcome
In accordance with Section 21(4)(c) of FOISA, please find below the
response to your information request, which comprises the Review Outcome:
Do all Aberdeen schools have video surveillance cameras?
No. Please note that our response only covers the local authority schools.
Where are these cameras typically located in a school?
They are located on the exteriors and other various locations within the
school.
What is the purpose of these surveillance cameras in schools?
For security and deterrent against vandalism.
Are the cameras ever used to monitor childrens’ behaviour in the
playground?
No.
Is footage recorded?
Yes.
How long is footage kept for?
Footage is kept approximately between 2 weeks to 4 months. The timeframe
varies in each school.
Who can access the recorded footage?
This footage can be seen by trained Robertson’s staff such as janitors.
Also school senior management staff such as headteachers can see the
footage too. Anyone other than the trained personnel who want to see the
images (including police for example) would need to submit a subject
access request giving reasons why they require to see it.
What happens next?
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your request for an internal
review, you can apply directly to the Office of the Scottish Information
Commissioner (OSIC) for a decision. Generally, OSIC cannot make a decision
unless you have been through the ACC’s review procedure. To make an
application to OSIC, please write or email OSIC at:
The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
[1]www.itspublicknowledge.info
An application to OSIC must be made in writing within six months of
receipt of ACC’s Review Decision Notice. When applying to OSIC for a
decision you should give your name and address for correspondence. Please
note that OSIC will not be able to investigate if you have not used your
real name to make your information request. You must also specify:
● which request for information your requirement for review relates to
● the reason that you asked ACC to carry out a review of your request
● the reason why you are not satisfied with ACC's review outcome decision
The Commissioner will contact ACC and invite its comments on your
application. Thereafter (if no settlement has meantime been reached), the
Commissioner must reach a decision within 4 months of receiving your
application, or within such other period as is reasonable. You will
receive written notice of the outcome of the Commissioner’s decision.
Should you wish to appeal against the Scottish Information Commissioner's
decision, there is an appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law
only. Any such appeal must be made within 42 days after the date of the
decision has been issued.
Yours sincerely,
Salomeh Kheyri Rad
On behalf of Review Panel Clerk
[2]ACC_Crest_for Salomeh Kheyri Rad | Access to Information Officer
mac email
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College | Business Hub 17 | 3^rd Floor | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
[3]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/
3. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/
Dear Foi Enquiries,
I am aware that part of this FOI request is incorrect, as there are indeed local authority schools frequently using the cameras to monitor childrens’ behaviour in the playground.
Please can you confirm this is the case, and which schools in fact do this.
Yours sincerely,
Anne Minty
Dear Ms Minty,
We will look into your follow up query (detailed below) and provide a
response as soon as possible.
I am aware that part of this FOI request is incorrect, as there are indeed
local authority schools frequently using the cameras to monitor childrens’
behaviour in the playground.
Please can you confirm this is the case, and which schools in fact do
this.
Kind regards,
[1]ACC_Crest_for Tomina Egbuson | Access to Information Officer
mac email
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College |Business Hub 17, 3^rd Floor | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
[2]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
References
Visible links
2. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/
Dear Ms Minty,
We are currently working on your internal review and need some information
from you to enable us ask the right questions.
In you email to us dated 10 July 2019 you stated:
According to a similar FOI response dated 17/5/17, ACC stated the next
audit would be in May 2018. These figures I requested for previous years
should therefore be available.
Please could you provide us with a reference number for this FOI response
or a link to where this response can be found.
Kind regards,
[1]ACC_Crest_for Tomina Egbuson | Access to Information Officer
mac email
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College |Business Hub 17, 3^rd Floor | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
[2]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.
References
Visible links
2. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/
Dear Foi Enquiries,
Your response below has nothing to do with this FOI request CCTV cameras in schools:
“Dear Ms Minty,
We are currently working on your internal review and need some information
from you to enable us ask the right questions.
In you email to us dated 10 July 2019 you stated:
According to a similar FOI response dated 17/5/17, ACC stated the next audit would be in May 2018. These figures I requested for previous years
should therefore be available.
Please could you provide us with a reference number for this FOI response or a link to where this response can be found.”
Your response actually refers to a different FOI request regarding CALM trained staff in Aberdeen schools.
I await a response from you regarding which schools do in fact use cameras to monitor playground behaviour.
Yours sincerely,
Anne Minty
Dear Ms Minty,
Sorry for the mix-up. Please ignore our e-mail.
We are working on your request for review and aim to respond within the advised timescales.
Yours sincerely
Tomina Egbuson | Access to Information Officer
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team | Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College |Business Hub 17, 3rd Floor | Broad Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC | Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
Dear Ms Minty,
Thank you for your follow up query.
I am aware that part of this FOI request is incorrect, as there are indeed
local authority schools frequently using the cameras to monitor childrens’
behaviour in the playground.
Please can you confirm this is the case, and which schools in fact do
this.
Please note that, CCTV systems in schools are not used to routinely
monitor live footage of the activities of building occupants. Viewing
screens are kept within locked offices and switched on only to view
recorded footage of specific incidents which have occurred, where it is
deemed necessary to investigate the incident. It is possible that this
would include the behaviour of pupils in playgrounds, where an incident
has occurred in the playground and where it is considered necessary for
authorised staff to review the recorded footage to follow up on that
incident.
We hope this helps with your follow up query.
Yours sincerely,
[1]ACC_Crest_for Tomina Egbuson | Access to Information Officer
mac email
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College |Business Hub 17, 3^rd Floor | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AQ
Dial: 01224 522166
[2]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.
References
Visible links
2. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/
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