CCTV Privacy Information

Privacy information on the council's CCTV system

Purpose and lawful basis for processing

North Devon Council operates a Closed Service Television (CCTV) system in various locations across the District.  The purpose for doing this is to:

  • Assist in the detection and prevention of crime, along with the maintenance of public order by providing evidence
  • Facilitate the apprehension and prosecution of offenders in relation to crime and public order
  • Reduce public disorder and anti-social behaviour and enhance the general public's perception of safety
  • Assist in the tracking and apprehension of persons who are suspected of committing a criminal offence
  • Assist in the identification of witnesses
  • Provide the Police and the Council with evidence to take criminal and civil action in the courts
  • Deter anti-social behaviour and assist in the detection of anti-social behaviour incidents
  • Reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour
  • Assist the emergency services in the location of missing vulnerable persons
  • Improve the safety and security of residents, visitors and the business community who use the facilities covered by the CCTV scheme
  • Maintain and enhance the commercial viability of the District and encourage continued investment by improving the safety and security of residents, visitors and the business community who use the facilities covered by the CCTV scheme

The lawful basis we rely on is as follows:

  • Article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR, which allows us to process personal data when this is necessary to perform our public tasks as a local authority - this is pursuant to local authority powers to provide closed circuit television in section 163 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

On occasion CCTV may collect and the Council may process images which contain special category data, such as health or criminal offence information, the lawful basis we rely on to process it is article 9(2)(g) of the GDPR. This also relates to our public task and the safeguarding of your fundamental rights in accordance with section 163 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. And Schedule 1 part 2(6) of the Data Protection Act 2018 which relates to statutory and government purposes.

What we need

Images are collected by CCTV cameras positioned across the district.  The locations of these can be found on the Council's CCTV pages.

What we do with it

The CCTV cameras the Council uses store footage that they collect and hold these images in line with our retention periods (see "How long we keep it" below) before these are overwritten by new footage.  The only exception to this is if the Council receives a valid request to view the footage within our retention periods in which case the relevant images will be quarantined, again this will in line with the Council's retention periods.

The Council will share images with Devon and Cornwall Police and other police forces or law enforcement agencies and insurance companies.  However access to retained images and information is restricted and there are clearly defined rules on who can gain access and for what purpose such access is granted.  The disclosure of images and information only takes place when it is necessary for such a purpose or for law enforcement purposes. 

How long we keep it

For information about how long we hold personal data, see our Retention Schedule.

What are your rights?

We are acting pursuant to our public task in respect of acting on behalf of the Council. You therefore have the right to object to our processing of your personal data. There are legitimate reasons why we may refuse your objection, which depend on why we are processing it. For more information on your rights see Your Rights.