SOUTH Gloucestershire Council has conducted secret surveillance against 22 alleged offenders since 2010.

The authority has powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act to prevent and detect crimes ranging from fraud to fly-tipping, with all requests coming before a judge.

It can also apply to mobile phone companies and other telecommunications providers for information about individuals suspected of committing crimes.

Council figures show surveillance was used once for suspected revenue or benefits fraud in 2010, and the environmental and community services department used the powers 11 times in 2012 and once in 2013.

The number of authorisations reduced dramatically in 2013 after the implementation of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.  A council report said: “Although we accepted the report we challenged some of the language used and the criticism which was based around the apparent trivial reasons for deploying our powers regarding a vulnerable member of our community.

“We strongly feel our actions were entirely proportionate to ensure we adequately support and protect vulnerable members of our community.

“Rigour will continue to be exercised when compiling and considering RIPA applications but our approach to the importance of responding to vulnerable members of our community will not change.”

The case related to the use of cameras after elderly people had their wall vandalised, although nothing was recorded.

A council spokesperson said: “The 2012 legislation determined that RIPA powers were not the most appropriate tools for many cases of civil enforcement – instead they should be focussed on criminal policing, which meant they are no longer considered appropriate for a number of areas for which councils have a role in enforcement.”

The council obtained communications data six times in 2014 and once in 2015.

Most cases related to fly tipping and the authority was able to track the perpetrators using their mobile phone numbers.

The way criminals operate has since changed, however, so it is now a far less effective way of identifying the individuals.

In 2016 the council obtained data related to an email address being used in connection with an investment scam.

Since the last report to council in September 2016, only one authorisation has taken place.

The case centred on an investigation into counterfeit goods; specifically goods purporting to be branded computer software.

Not enough evidence could be obtained for the council to take legal action.

A spokesperson said: “We have always used RIPA powers within the law. The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 amended that legal framework and we have continued to apply RIPA powers within the rules.

“Our most recent inspection by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners, in 2016, found that we had excellent policies and procedures in place to manage the occasions where we sought to use RIPA powers.

“Any application we make to use RIPA powers must be approved in court, however we have not in fact sought to use them since 2016 as we have not identified the necessity.”

The authority has secured a ‘significant’ number of prosecutions for fly-tipping, but evidence is now usually obtained from sources other than covert surveillance.