Conwy Council recognised for Public Space CCTV Systems management
With the best interests of local communities firmly in mind, Conwy County Borough Council in North Wales are working to ensure the public space CCTV systems under their control are managed appropriately and in particular in accordance with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice. To demonstrate this, Tony Porter, Surveillance Camera Commissioner, has awarded Conwy Council a Certificate of Compliance.
To ensure that best practice of the Camera Code is followed, Conwy Council appointed NSI, as a designated independent third party certification body, working on behalf of the Surveillance Camera Commissioner, to verify the compliance of its CCTV systems with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice. NSI recently completed a thorough review of their systems and recommended the Council for certification. The verification process is ongoing and the public can be reassured that Conwy Council’s monitoring is appropriately regulated.
Emma Dowell, CCTV Manager at Conwy Council said:
“The Council is delighted to have received this accreditation of its Public Space CCTV System. We use 114 CCTV cameras across the county covering 15 towns, and believe that inviting independent assessors to check the system will reassure the public that we are operating our cameras for the purpose intended, which is crime prevention and public safety. “I would also like to take the opportunity to thank my team of operators, who are all highly trained and have assisted me in meeting the standards required.”
Tony Porter, Surveillance Camera Commissioner, commented:
“I am delighted to award Conwy this certificate of compliance. This sets the standard for public space surveillance and demonstrates to the public that its system is run efficiently, effectively and transparently. I know NSI have worked closely with Conwy and my Office to ensure this new process runs smoothly. My thanks to all involved and congratulations once again to Conwy.”
Organisations responsible for public space CCTV systems, such as local authorities, can apply to be assessed against the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice to verify the deployment and use of cameras follows best practice and are used only for their intended purpose. The Code of Practice aims to balance the requirement for cameras with individuals’ rights to privacy drawing upon the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Receiving a Certificate of Compliance from the Surveillance Camera Commissioner provides tangible evidence that a CCTV monitoring operation complies with the Code of Practice.
Tony Weeks, NSI’s Head of Technical Services added “Conwy Council should be applauded for choosing to open up their public space CCTV Surveillance operations to independent scrutiny, and in the best interests of the general public. We were delighted to take Conwy Council through the process and we’re pleased that other local authorities are following in their footsteps.”
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