Issue - meetings

The Cabinet is asked to endorse an updated Corporate Policy and Protocol on the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) by council services. The proposed update includes a section on social media and the use of online selling platforms and includes a change to the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for RIPA. The proposed update also includes a section on how the policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Environment Select Committee]

RESOLVED:

The proposed new Corporate Policy and Protocol on the application of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) (Annex 1 to the report) to include the added section at paragraph 12 including the use of RIPA regarding social media and online selling platforms and the added section at paragraph 16.1 including how the policy complies with Data Protection legislation was agreed.

Reason for Decision:

The inclusion of a section within the Corporate Policy and Protocol provided an updated framework to ensure that the Council continued to comply fully with the requirements of RIPA. In line with the changing market place for goods and services, the way Trading Standards investigated legal compliance had also changed and often involved the use of social media and online selling platforms.

The Corporate Policy and Protocol on the use of RIPA was a public document and the introduction of new data protection legislation and the requirement to be open and transparent in how the Council processed personal data had led to the requirement to include a section within the Policy.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Environment Select Committee]

The Cabinet Member for Community Services presented an updated Corporate Policy and Protocol on the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) by council services for approval and explained that a revised recommendation had been tabled as the paragraph references were incorrect.  The proposed update included a section on social media and the use of online selling platforms and includes a change to the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for RIPA. It also included a section on how the policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.  

RESOLVED:

The proposed new Corporate Policy and Protocol on the application of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) (Annex 1 to the report) to include the added section at paragraph 12 including the use of RIPA regarding social media and online selling platforms and the added section at paragraph 16.1 including how the policy complies with Data Protection legislation was agreed.

Reason for Decision:

The inclusion of a section within the Corporate Policy and Protocol provided an updated framework to ensure that the Council continued to comply fully with the requirements of RIPA. In line with the changing market place for goods and services, the way Trading Standards investigated legal compliance had also changed and often involved the use of social media and online selling platforms.

The Corporate Policy and Protocol on the use of RIPA was a public document and the introduction of new data protection legislation and the requirement to be open and transparent in how the Council processed personal data had led to the requirement to include a section within the Policy