26
March
The Government set the surveillance society bar - are you really that surprised when the local councils follow suit?:
A survey of more than 180 local authorities found:
• 1,615 council staff have the power to authorise the use of Ripa.
• 21% (or 340) of these staff are below senior management grade.
• Ripa powers have been used 10,333 times in the last five years.
• Just 9% of these authorisations have led to a successful prosecution, caution or fixed-penalty notice
