Yesterday we received Stockport Council’s report on its use of RIPA – the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 – for the period July-September 2010.

This is the Act that gives Councils (and other public bodies) the power to carry out covert surveillance – spy – on people in certain specific situations.  It should only be used when really needed and all other avenues for collecting evidence against someone have failed.

In those three months, Stockport used RIPA twice.  Both were in September and both were to deal with anti-social   behaviour.  One was from the Community Safety Unit and the other by Stockport Homes (the Council’s social housing landlord).