Privacy statements

CCTV privacy notice

North Tyneside Public Spaces CCTV

North Tyneside Council collects, processes, and holds your personal information to provide Services to you. North Tyneside Council is the Data Controller for the personal information collected. 

North Tyneside Council has CCTV in operation in public spaces, at various sites, including council offices and other premises, both inside and outside buildings.

CCTV will capture images in real time wherever the cameras are pointed and may capture footage of you whilst you are on the premises. There are signs in place to inform you where cameras are in use.

Our Civil Enforcement and Community Protection Officers may use body worn cameras and will verbally advise members of the public when it is switched on to record.

On occasions where Regulation of Investigation Power Act (RIPA) applies, targeted covert CCTV footage may be collected for the prevention and detection of crime.

In addition, Council vehicles may have dashboard, external and internal passenger seating area cameras which capture footage of passengers, pedestrians, and other vehicles while in use. All these vehicles have notices displayed to indicate that they are equipped with cameras.

Cameras at household waste recycling centres are owned and operated by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd.

The categories of information that we collect, process, hold and share include: 

We collect and process the following information:

  • Static and moving images of individuals captured to identify, recognise, observe and/or detect.
  • Special category data: cameras may incidentally record information which falls within these categories. Additionally, footage from cameras may be used as evidence regarding criminal offences or related security measures.
  • Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), Facial Recognition Technology and Biometric Data.

Why we collect and hold this information 

  • to ensure the health and safety of employees, service users and members of the public
  • to discourage aggressive or violent behaviour towards staff and reduce staff’s fear of such behaviour
  • to enhance Council premises security
  • to detect, prevent or reduce the incidence of crime
  • to provide evidence for formal actions including prosecutions in court
  • to reduce the fear of crime and create a safer environment for the public
  • to provide emergency services assistance
  • to help investigate breaches in Health and Safety incidents, investigate formal complaints or to resolve formal grievances
  • to ensure safe behaviour in council vehicles and safeguarding passengers and drivers.
  • To comply with legal obligations and assist with the investigation of any allegations or complaints
  • for the defence of the council or its employees with regards to legal or insurance claims
  • to monitor traffic flow 

The Lawful basis on which we use this information

The legal basis for processing is:

  • GDPR article 6(1)(e): processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Where special category data is processed, the legal basis is:

  • article 9(2)(g): processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.

The relevant basis in UK law is set out in section 10(3) of the DPA 2018. This means that we're required to meet one of the 23 specific substantial public interest conditions set out in Schedule 1. The substantial public interest condition is one or more of the following:

  • Sch 1 para 7: Administration of justice
  • Sch 1 para 10: Preventing or detecting unlawful acts
  • Sch 1 para 11: Protecting the public
  • Sch 1 para 20: Insurance

Where personal data relating to criminal allegations or offences is processed, this will be carried out only if authorised under UK law in compliance with GDPR Article 10 and will meet one or more of the following conditions set out Schedule 1, Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018:

  • Sch 1 para 33: Legal Claims
  • Sch 1 para 36: Substantial Public Interest
  • Sch 1 para 37: Insurance Claims

How we store your personal information

Your information is safely stored in password protected secure databases and is retained in line with Authority and statutory retention schedules. Most of the Council’s CCTV cameras and body-worn cameras automatically over-write footage 28-31 days after it is captured however some systems have a much shorter retention period and automatically overwrite after 7 days. Dash camera and vehicle footage will be deleted after 30 days of recording, unless required to be retained as evidence. Where authorised bodies are granted access to data collected via CCTV to carry out their statutory functions, then copies of the data may be made and retained securely for this purpose. Recordings required as evidence will be kept for a maximum of 6 months or until the evidence is no longer required, whichever is longer, at which time it will be securely destroyed.

Who we may share your information with

We may disclose your information to others, but only where this is necessary either to comply with the law and legal obligations or as permitted by Data Protection legislation. 

  • the Council’s dash camera contracted software system operators, FleetClear.
  • Police and enforcement services.
  • Fire, ambulance and rescue services.
  • the Environment Agency to assist them in monitoring river levels and flooding during a weather event.

The reasons why we may share your data with other public bodies are as follows: 

  • For the prevention and or detection of crime
  • Where necessary to protect individuals from the risk of harm or injury

Your rights

Under Data Protection legislation you have several rights, including the right to have your records rectified (where the law permits) and the right to ask for access to all the information the Council holds about you. These rights are listed in more detail on the Authority website under Data Protection.

Please contact us at information.governance@northtyneside.gov.uk if you wish to make an information rights request.

If you are unhappy with the way the Authority has handled your data, you may contact the ICO at https://ico.org.uk/ 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate)