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POLICY STATEMENT RELATING TO THE USE OF CCTV & RECORDING EQUIPMENT AT ITS PREMISES IN VIKING WAY RAINHAM ESSEX
Rainham Opportunities for Youth Activity Leader (the “Royals”)
Policy Statement Relating to the Use of CCTV & Recording Equipment at its Premises in Rainham.
Following the recent installation of CCTV and recording equipment at the Royals Youth Centre (the “Centre”) in Rainham, Essex, the Royal’s Board of Trustees recognises its statutory responsibility for the protection of its property and equipment as well as its responsibility for safeguarding and protecting the Charity’s community and providing a sense of security to its employees, User Groups and invitees to its premises. This policy statement sets out the rationale for installation of the equipment and the way in which it will be used.
The installation of CCTV surveillance equipment in the Centre is intended for the purposes of:
Protecting the Centre’s buildings and assets, both during and after hours;
Promoting the health and safety of staff, User Groups and visitors;
Reducing the fear and incidence of crime and anti-social behaviour;
Supporting the Police in a bid to deter and detect crime;
Assisting in identifying, apprehending and prosecuting offenders; and
Ensuring that the Royal’s rules are respected so that the Centre can be properly managed.
The CCTV System is a proportionate and reasonable means of achieving these aims. The CCTV System will be in use in various areas both in and outside the Centre, and the system’s presence will be brought to the attention of individuals by the use of prominently displayed warning signs at the Centre’s entrance and at the locations of recordings. The data will be held in compliance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and the CCTV system will be used in accordance with the Code of Practice for Surveillance cameras and Personal Information as promulgated by the Information Commissioner’s Office. In this regard, the Trustees will ensure that the Centre Manager reviews the actions in the Checklist in Appendix 1 on an annual basis.
Supervising the access and maintenance of the CCTV System is the responsibility of the Trustees who have delegated the day-to-day management to the Centre Manager. In certain circumstances, the recordings may also be viewed by other individuals in order to achieve the objectives set out above; such individuals may include the Police, the Trustees, representatives of the Local Authority, OFSTED, representatives of the HSE, and/or the principal of a User Group, however this list is not exhaustive. Only a Police Officer may view recordings on request. All other access will only be allowed with the prior approval of at least two Trustees, unless a Court Order is produced. When CCTV recordings are being viewed, access will be limited to authorised individuals on a need-to-know basis. During recordings, the monitor in the Centre Manager’s office will be switched off or sited in a position where it can only be viewed by the Centre Manager or Caretaker monitoring use of the Centre during evening activities.
Recordings made by the CCTV System will be stored in the Centre Manager’s Office on a password-protected server. The recordings made by the CCTV System will be recorded to an appropriate medium, usually the server’s hard drive. In general, CCTV System recordings on the server will be deleted after 28 days.
Where the Police have requested that the Centre furnish them with copies of the recordings, the relevant recordings will not be deleted, and may be further copied for the purposes of complying with the official request. In addition, the Centre may retain recordings made by the CCTV System beyond the stated period for the purpose of using or relying upon same in future civil proceedings, or for the purpose of disciplinary investigations and/or hearings or grievance proceedings. In those circumstances, the Centre shall immediately obtain the advice of their legal advisor in respect of the retention, and secure-storage of any recordings made of the incident.
In relevant circumstances, CCTV footage may be accessed:
By the Police where the Centre are required by law to make a report regarding the commission of a suspected crime; or
Following a request by the Police when a crime or suspected crime has taken place and/or when it is suspected that anti-social behaviour is taking place on Centre property, or
To the HSE and/or any other statutory body charged with child safeguarding; or
To assist the Centre Manager &/or Trustees in establishing facts in cases of unacceptable User Group or Visitor behaviour, in which case and if appropriate, relevant User Group Principals will be informed; or
By data subjects (or their legal representatives), pursuant to an access request where the time, date, and location of the recordings is furnished to the Centre, or
To individuals (or their legal representatives) subject to a court order.
Access to the relevant recordings will be granted with the prior approval of any two Trustees unless access is required by a Police Officer or Court Order.
Any complaints relating to the CCTV system should be addressed to the Centre Manager or Trustees.
This Policy Statement was ratified by the Board of Trustees on 10 November 2016
Appendix 1
Checklist for users of limited CCTV systems
Monitoring small retail and business premises
This CCTV system and the images produced by it are controlled by the Trustees and day to day management has been delegated to the Centre Manager who is responsible for how the system is used and for notifying the Information Commissioner about the CCTV system and its purpose (which is a legal requirement of the Data Protection Act 1988).
We the Trustees of the Rainham Opportunities for Youth Activity Leaders have considered the need for using CCTV and have decided it is required for the prevention and detection of crime and for protecting the safety of User Groups and visitors. It will not be used for any other purpose. The requirement for continued use of the CCTV system will be reviewed annually in terms of the following checklist.
Action
Notification has been submitted to the Information Commissioner and the next renewal date recorded.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
There is a named individual who is responsible for the operation of the system.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
The problem we are trying to address has been clearly defined and installing cameras is the best solution. Tis decision will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
A system has been chosen which produces clear images which the law enforcement bodies (usually the police) can use to investigate crime and these can easily be taken from the system when required.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
Cameras have been sited so that they provide clear images.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
There are visible signs showing that CCTV is in operation. Where it is not obvious who is responsible for the system contact detail are displayed on the sign(s).
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
Images from this CCTV system are securely stored, where only a limited number of authorised persons may have access to them.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
The recorded images will only be retained long enough for any incident to come to light (e.g. for a theft to be noticed) and the incident to be investigated.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
Except for law enforcement bodies, images will not be provided to third parties other than with the specific approval of at least two Trustees.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
The potential impact on individuals' privacy has been identified and taken into account in the use of the system.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
The Organisation knows how to respond to individuals making requests for copies of their own images. If unsure the controller knows to seek advice from the Information Commissioner as soon as such a request is made.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
Regular checks are carried out to ensure that the system is working properly and produces high quality images.
Date of Review:Conducted By:
Date of Next Review:
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