Spy rules to be set in Oldham

Rules to protect Oldhamers from new council “spying” powers will be investigated next month.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) gives authorities power to use surveillance and gather information to help the prevention of crime, including terrorism.

But some councils have been accused of using the powers for petty reasons, such as dog fouling, spying on village paperboys, or checking on parents making school admission applications. A report to the first Cabinet meeting of 2009, on January 12, will check how Oldham manages the powers.

The aim is to recommend a clear policy to make sure powers are used appropriately but with extra oversight from Cabinet members.

Council leader Howard Sykes said: “I have absolutely no fear that when the powers have been used in Oldham they have been not been used wrongly.

“I think the public would expect us to know what was going on, and once or twice a year the overview and scrutiny commissions will debate this.”