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Councils in Wales have been using surveillance powers intended to fight terrorism to investigate littering.

Authorities have been using the powers to gather information about fly tipping, the disposal of animal products like milk and eggs and allowing children to use sunbeds.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) was introduced to govern the use of surveillance tools in the interests of national security.

This includes the use of listening devices, cameras, informants and private detectives.

Yet councils have been authorised to carry out more than 55,000 days of surveillance over five years.

The reasons councils gave

A freedom of information request made by the Liberal Democrats shows councils have been using the Act for less serious offences.

These include:

Monitoring dog barking (Midlothian council);

Gathering evidence about who was feeding pigeons (Allerdale council);

Investigating dog fouling (several councils);

Cracking down on selling fireworks to children (Caerphilly);

Investigating dangerous toys (Wolverhampton)

In Wales, the powers have been used hundreds of times

In Wales councils used the spying powers for more than 200 operations during the five year period.

Of those operations, the Welsh council which used the Act the most often was Caerphilly council, with a total of 98 times during that time.

Caerphilly used the powers to investigate:

The provision of sunbed services to minors

Illegal tattooists

The illegal disposal of animal products - such as milk, eggs and fat



Fly-tipping

The supply of dangerous food supplements

Misdescribed and dangerous vehicles

Other reasons included investigating counterfeit goods, unregistered food business operations, doorstep crime as well as selling alcohol, fireworks, lighter fuel and tobacco to minors.

Cardiff council used RIPA for activities including:

Illegal money lending and fraud

Fly-tipping

Food safety

Consumer protection from unfair trading regulations

Lib Dems: 'This is absurd'

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Brian Paddick said: “It is absurd that local authorities are using measures primarily intended for combating terrorism for issues as trivial as a dog barking or the sale of theatre tickets.

“Spying on the public should be a last resort not an everyday tool.

“While the Investigatory Powers Bill will now restrict the ability of local authorities to monitor people’s communications, it will give mass surveillance powers to a huge number of government bodies.

“As with any legislation, there is a significant risk that authorities will use powers in a way that Parliament never intended.

“That is why it is vital we have proper oversight in place that ensures any surveillance is targeted and proportionate.”

Home Office: 'There is a rigorous procedure'

(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

The Home Office insisted that permissions were only granted for such covert surveillance after a rigorous authorisation procedure and independent inspection.

A spokesman said: “Ripa powers are an important tool that local authorities can use to address the issues that affect many people’s lives, like consumer protection, environmental crime and benefit fraud.

“The legislation makes clear that public authorities may use these techniques only when it is both necessary and proportionate to do so.

“Any local authority use of these powers must be independently authorised by a magistrate, who is an independent judicial figure.

“The Investigatory Powers Act goes further by ensuring that in future the use of these powers will be overseen by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, who will be a serving or former senior judge.”

Here is breakdown of the number of surveillance operations carried out per year in each council

Bridgend - 16 in total

2011 - 6



2012 - 2



2013 - 3



2014 - 5



2015 - 0



2016 - 0

Monmouthshire - 1

2011 - 0



2012 - 1



2013 - 0



2014 - 0



2015 - 0



2016 - 0

Carmarthenshire - 19

2011 - 1



2012 - 5



2013 - 5



2014 - 5



2015 - 3



2016 - 0

Ceredigion - 5

2011 - 0



2012 - 3



2013 - 0



2014 - 0



2015 - 1



2016 - 1

Swansea - 40

2011 - 12



2012 - 8



2013 - 5



2014 - 5



2015 - 6



2016 - 4

Torfaen - 6

2011 - 2



2012 - 1



2013 - 0



2014 - 0



2015 - 3



2016 -

Caerphilly - 98

2011 - 46



2012 - 26



2013 - 12



2014 - 6



2015 - 8



2016 -

Cardiff -12

2011 - 5



2012 - 1



2013 - 3



2014 - 3



2015 - 0



2016 - 0

Port Talbot -4

2011 - 0



2012 - 3



2013 - 0



2014 - 1



2015 - 0



2016 - 0

Pembrokeshire -1

2011 - 0



2012 - 1



2013 - 0



2014 - 0



2015 - 0



2016 - 0

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