We work with local police and communities to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. We also use closed circuit television (CCTV) as a tool to tackle crime and improve community safety.
Where and why we have CCTV cameras
CCTV is a helpful tool for a wide variety of uses:
- Tackling crime
- Helping vulnerable residents
- Keeping communities safe
- Safeguarding
We will only use the CCTV system to achieve one of the following aims:
- Enhancing community safety
- Reducing crime and the fear of crime
- Detering anti-social behaviour
All CCTV use is within the bounds of an approved Code of Practice, designed to protect the rights of the general public, and covered by the following legislation:
- Instant picture information is available to the Police
- Police are able to target their resources better
- Cameras deter crime
- Detection or identification and quicker apprehension of crime suspects
- Prevention of incidents before they begin
- Instant assistance with accidents or incidents in public spaces
- Quicker and more effective ways of finding lost or wanted people
CCTV services you may want to apply for
You have the right to request CCTV footage of yourself under Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is known as a subject access request (SAR).
Read more about your data and making an SAR
If you ask for CCTV footage of yourself to prove where you were at a certain time, you will need to provide the following identifying information, where applicable:
- Date and time of the requested footage
- Precise location of the requested footage
- Description of yourself and clothing worn at the time of the incident (to help the CCTV operators locate the footage of you)
- Any further descriptive details you feel are relevant to your application
If the data you requested doesn't exist, or cannot be found, we will write to you and tell you.
People included on the footage
You have a right to be provided with images of yourself, if we hold them, but not of any other people.
We may refuse to provide footage to you if it is likely to prejudice:
- Prevention and detection of crime
- Apprehension and prosecution of offenders
If the data you request falls into a category that means we cannot share it with you, we will write to you and tell you.
Road traffic collisions or offences
If your request relates to a road traffic collision, we cannot accept it, as we can only provide images of you, and not of third parties. You will need to go through your insurance company or legal representative.
If your request relates to a road traffic offence, such as a failure to stop, you must go to the Police.
Time limit
We hold CCTV footage for a period of 31 days only. Any footage requested beyond this time limit will not be available.
If you are putting on an event, we can provide you with an event control room in the Civic Centre, Keynsham. The control room would include:
- CCTV coverage
- Smart boards/Display screens
- Dedicated CCTV Officer
- Dedicated phone line into the control room
The total charge for this service is £1,000. For more information please email emergencyplanning@bathnes.gov.uk