Issue - meetings

(i)       to congratulate officers on the work undertaken in this area;

(ii)       to note the updates within the report in respect of the Council’s covert surveillance activity during Quarters 1-3 of the current year;

(iii)      to note the amendments to the Corporate Protocol and Procedure on Covert Surveillance in Appendix 1; and

(iv)      to note and endorse the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Inspection Letter 2020, in Appendix 2.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Governance which was presented to ensure that Members reviewed the Council’s use of covert surveillance on a quarterly basis in order to provide assurance that it was used consistently in accordance with the Corporate Protocol and Procedure on Covert Surveillance and to advise Members of the outcome of an inspection undertaken by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPCO) of the Council’s governance and compliance of covert activities.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee -

(a)      note the updates within the report in respect of the Council’s covert surveillance activity during Quarters 1-3 of the current year;

(b)      note the amendments to the Corporate Protocol and Procedure on Covert Surveillance in Appendix 1; and

(c)      note and endorse the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Inspection Letter 2020, in Appendix 2.

The Chief Officer – Governance advised that the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, Sir Brian Leveson, had reflected in the IPCO’s recent national newsletter published to all public authorities across the United Kingdom that Aberdeen City Council was held up as good practice in relation to covert activities which reflected well on the work led by Ms Jess Anderson.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to congratulate officers on the work undertaken in this area; and

(ii)       to otherwise approve the recommendations contained in the report.