Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

This page explains our use of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and provides information about the type of RIPA authorisations which have been granted. It also includes contact information for outside bodies which regulate RIPA.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and subsequent orders regulate the powers of public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covers the interception of communications. It provides a framework to make sure that investigatory techniques are used in a way that is compatible with legislation for the right to respect private and family life and provides safeguards against the abuse of such methods.

We use these powers for the prevention and detection of crimes such as flytipping, sales of counterfeit goods and underage sales of alcohol and tobacco.

Our Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) Policy (PDF) [237KB] provides an overview of the council's powers to conduct directed surveillance and the arrangements that the council has in place for using those powers.

The powers used by the council in respect of RIPA are reviewed by Cabinet on an annual basis and reported to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on a quarterly basis.

Useful contacts

You can find further guidance and information on RIPA from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office or by contacting them directly.

Information is also available from the:

Offsite links