• Reports of councils' abuse of power prompts move
• Snooper's charter charge denied by home secretary
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/17/council-surveillance-abuse"The government tried yesterday to quell rising concern over the abuse of powers designed to fight terrorism and serious crime, which some councils were using to target people who put their bins out on the wrong day.
Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, announced a review of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), which the government says is designed to stop the powers being used for "trivial" purposes.
Ministers proposed that senior officials, such as council leaders, should be able to authorise the use of the powers and said the review would look at which public bodies could use them.
Smith said the powers were vital to keeping the public safe not just from serious crime, but also from rogue traders and fly-tippers.
But a procession of stories of abuse has raised concern. A family in Poole, Dorset, were tracked covertly for nearly three weeks because the council wrongly doubted their claim that they lived in a school's catchment area.
Four councils, Derby, Bolton, Gateshead and Hartlepool, have admitted using the surveillance powers granted under Ripa to investigate dog fouling. Smith said: "The government has absolutely no interest in spying on law-abiding people going about their everyday lives ... I also want to make sure that there is proper oversight of the use of these powers which is why I am considering creating a role for elected councillors in overseeing the way in which local authorities use Ripa techniques."
Last month it emerged the surveillance powers had been used by 182 district and unitary councils 10,288 times since 2004, but fewer than one in 10 inquiries led to a successful prosecution, caution, or fixed penalty notice.
The alleged offences included dog fouling, littering, illegal street trading, taxi overcharging and taking the fairy lights from a Christmas tree.
The Liberal Democrats, who obtained the details under freedom of information legislation, said Ripa was becoming a "snooper's charter".
Chris Huhne, the Lib Dem home affairs spokesman, said the powers should require authorisation by a magistrate: "For too long, powers we were told would be used to fight terrorism and organised crime have been used to spy on people's kids, pets and bins. Without reform, Ripa will continue to be a snooper's charter."
Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, said: "The government has allowed Ripa to become a snooper's charter. It was supposed to be there to tackle terrorism and serious crime.
"Instead it's being used by both the government and hundreds of local authorities to pry into all kinds of different parts of people's lives. It has to stop."
