Spying council to be investigated

[Glyn Wintle]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7423197.stm

A couple were monitored for nearly three weeks by
Poole Borough Council to find out if they were really
living in a school catchment area.

Covert surveillance was also used to check for the
illegal harvesting of cockles and clams by fishermen.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it
has "concerns".

David Smith, deputy commissioner at the ICO, said:
"The ICO has some concerns about the surveillance that
has taken place in Poole.

"It seems that in at least some cases the surveillance
has involved the covert collection of personal
information about those individuals under scrutiny.

"We will be contacting Poole Borough Council to ensure
that the way in which personal information about those
under surveillance has been collected and subsequently
processed meets the requirements of the Data
Protection Act."