Police Correspondence - ANPR Cameras
Dear Ingleby Barwick Town Council,
The minutes of the Town Council meeting on Tuesday 9 March 2021 at item 5, referring to the proposal to install ANPR cameras, state "In addition to assisting providing evidence, Cleveland Police indicated it would also be an unqualified deterrent due to installation and publicity. It was requested that this information be confirmed."
After a recorded vote the Council unanimously "RESOLVED that the installation of CCTV cameras subject to confirmation from Cleveland Police be APPROVED."
Would you please provide a copy of the confirmation from Cleveland Police that the ANPR cameras would be "...an unqualified deterrent due to installation and publicity."
Yours faithfully,
A Resident
Dear A Resident
I am in receipt of your Freedom of Information request, please find below the information requested - some personal details have been redacted.
From: WILLOUGHBY, Jon (P0922) <[email address]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 3:26:32 PM
To:
Subject: Ingleby Barwick issues
Hi all,
Thank you for the meeting yesterday, it was really useful and it will be good to repeat this regularly to discuss issues and progress.
Regarding some of the points raised, I would like to confirm our position – please forward this as necessary :
Cameras on the estate – Whilst the installation of cameras is a decision for yourselves and residents I can confirm that any lawfully obtained footage from CCTV cameras can and will be used by ourselves if it evidence towards an offence we are investigating. In addition to assisting in providing evidence there will also be an unquantified deterrent level due to the installation and publicity of CCTV.
Regards
Jon
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first instance.
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
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SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
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Kind Regards,
Jo
Joanne McGeeney, CiLCA
Town Clerk
Ingleby Barwick Town Council
t: 01642 308665
www.inglebybarwicktowncouncil.org.uk
My usual office days are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
Dear Ingleby Barwick Town Council,
Thank you for your reply, however the email provided does not meet the condition set out for approval of ANPR camera installation as set out in the Council's minutes.
The minutes clearly state that approval for the ANPR cameras was given on condition that the police confirmed they would be an "unqualified" deterrent, not "unquantified" as per the email. Clearly the word unquantified illustrates there was no evidential basis for ANPR installation, and the word unquantified is a major qualification of their deterrent effect.
Given that the minutes were approved by the Council, would the Council give comment on the fact that the installation of ANPR cameras was done in contravention of the Council's minuted resolution.
Yours sincerely,
Allan Mitchell
Dear Mr Mitchell
Thank you for your further email. Please note that the cameras which are in situ are being used for CCTV only, the ANPR facility was not, and since, has never activated. This was a decision made by Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council as Data controllers to the Cameras.
Kind Regards,
Jo
Joanne McGeeney, CiLCA
Town Clerk
Ingleby Barwick Town Council
t: 01642 308665
www.inglebybarwicktowncouncil.org.uk
My usual office days are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
Dear Ingleby Barwick Town Council,
Thank you for your reply.
The fact that the ANPR element of the CCTV scheme has not been activated is irrelevant. The entire scheme was clearly only approved by the council on condition of receiving written confirmation from Cleveland Police that it would be an "unqualified deterrent". This is evidenced by the Council's approved minutes.
This written confirmation was not received, and therefore the entire CCTV system was installed at a cost of some £14,000 without valid approval by the council.
Would you please confirm which of the Council's financial regulations have been breached by this scheme, who gave final authorisation for the spending, and what the Council intends to do to rectify this breach.
Yours sincerely,
Allan Mitchell
Thank you for your email.
The Town Clerk is away from the Office until Monday 14th August 2023.
Please note that any emails will not be read or answered until this date.
The Administration assistant is in the office on Mondays and Tuesdays form
8.00-2.00pm if you query is Urgent.
If your email is regarding the Free Sports Week Activities please note
that there is an online form contained on the Town Council facebook post
advertising the week which should be used. Confirmation of places will be
sent on my return.
Kind regards,
Jo McGeeney, CiLCA
Town Clerk
Ingleby Barwick Town Council
Tel: 01642 308665
Dear Ingleby Barwick Town Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Ingleby Barwick Town Council's handling of my FOI request 'Police Correspondence - ANPR Cameras'.
My last email regarding breach of the council's financial regulations has not received a reply.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...
Yours faithfully,
Allan Mitchell
Dear Mr Mitchell
Thank you for your email.
May I apologise for not responding to your last email which came at a time when I was on leave and was overlooked on my return.
In response to your previous query, FOI's are for recorded information held by a public body. As the Town Council has at no point resolved that the Financial Regulations have been broken there is no further Information to disclose.
The Town Council does not have an internal Review procedure for dealing with Freedom of Information requests.
If you are unhappy with the handling of your request, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Kind Regards,
Jo
Joanne McGeeney, CiLCA
Town Clerk
Ingleby Barwick Town Council
t: 01642 308665
www.inglebybarwicktowncouncil.org.uk
My usual office days are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
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