CCTV service

This CCTV Privacy Notice explains how Westminster City Council uses closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems to monitor and record images for the purposes of public safety, crime prevention, and addressing anti-social behaviour, noise, fly-tipping and environmental issues within the borough of Westminster.

Data Controller

Westminster City Council is the data controller responsible for the operation of the CCTV systems.

Purpose of CCTV

The primary purposes of our CCTV systems are:

• Public Safety: To help ensure the safety and security of individuals in public spaces.
• Crime Prevention and Anti-Social Behaviour: To deter and detect crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Emergency Response: To assist emergency services in responding to incidents.
• Noise, Fly-tipping, and Environmental Issues: To monitor and address instances of noise pollution, fly-tipping, and other environmental issues affecting public spaces.

Legal Basis for Processing

The processing of personal data by our CCTV systems is based on the following Acts (this list is not exhaustive):

• The Data Protection Act 2018
• The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
• The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA)
• The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
• The Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACT) codes of practice
• The Localism Act 2011
• Environmental Regulation 2004
• Anti-social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014
• Environmental Protection Act 1990

Types of personal data collected

The CCTV systems may capture and process the following types of personal data:

• Images of individuals captured on camera
• Date and time of the recording
• Location data, where applicable

Sharing your data with others

We may share your data, as necessary and in line with our legal obligations and/or to reinforce the prevention and detection of crime, with:

• National Regulators, for example Information Commissioner’s Office, Ombudsman, Investigatory Powers Commissioner
• Judicial Agencies, for example Courts
• Police
• Solicitors
• Insurance companies
• CCTV operators
• Fire and rescue services
• Regulators/Investigatory bodies
• Other Council departments including shared services
• With members of the public under very strict Data Protection or Subject Access Request under DPA and Freedom of Information conditions
• Internal/external enforcement agencies: Trading Standards, HMRC

Storage and retention

We will only keep your information for as long as it is required. Westminster City Council will only hold your information for our own purposes and applicable retention periods. Other regulatory bodies will hold information for their own retention periods. These are held in order to comply with legal and statutory requirements. This can be for a period of up to 6 years. However, some records relating to criminal activity may need to be kept in perpetuity.

CCTV images supplied to the police as evidence will be retained for 1 year. Any footage that is not used will be automatically deleted from our servers after a period of 30 days.

Access to CCTV Footage

Access to CCTV footage is restricted to authorized personnel who require access for the purposes outlined in this notice. Access controls and procedures are in place to ensure that access is granted only to authorized individuals, or those exercising their right to access.

Out of EEA/EU transfers

The Council will not process your personal data outside of the UK or the EEA.

Automated decision making

CCTV undertakes no data processing within the data protection legal definition of automated decision making. Should AI be used in the data processing, the council will review any outcomes via a manual (human) assessment.

Your rights

Under data protection laws, you have certain rights regarding the personal data processed by our CCTV systems. These include:

• The right to request access to your personal data
• The right to request correction of any inaccuracies in your personal data
• The right to request erasure of your personal data under certain circumstances
• The right to object to the processing of your personal data

Contact information

Operational queries or concerns and requests for footage and exercising of above rights will be managed through the LBHF VSS, [email protected]. This contact information can also be found on the CCTV signage.

Queries or concerns around the processing of personal data by our CCTV systems, will be managed through the WCC Information Management Team, [email protected]

For independent advice and guidance on surveillance cameras you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office helpline on 0303 123 1113 or visit the ICO website.

Changes to this privacy notice

We may update this CCTV Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in our CCTV operations or legal requirements. Any updates will be published on our website and, where appropriate, communicated to affected individuals.