CCTV privacy notice

Who is the data controller for the information we collect

This privacy notice is provided to meet the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) to explain how we process your personal data in delivering the LeedsWatch Service.

Leeds City Council is the data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and other regulations including the UK General Data Protection Regulation, which means it determines what your data is used for and why it is collected. The purpose of this privacy notice is to tell you about what information we collect about you when you use our service, how we use that information and who we may share it with. The contact details of the data controller are Leeds City Council, Merrion House, 110 Merrion Way, Leeds, LS2 8BB.

The data we will collect

To deliver the LeedsWatch Service, we will process data in the form of CCTV footage.

This includes the collection of:

Static and moving images of people
Vehicle registration numbers

Although we do not deliberately set out to capture any special category personal data, the cameras may incidentally record information which falls within these categories.

How do we collect information about you

We collect information about you from you directly in the form of CCTV footage.

Why we process your data

CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) recordings includes data from all cameras managed and monitored by Leeds City Council, (including but not limited to; Public Space, Body worn, vehicular mounted, and Highways cameras) are used for the following purposes:

Traffic Management

Monitoring and managing traffic flow to reduce congestion and improve road safety
Public Event Monitoring

Ensuring safety and security during public events and gatherings
Environmental Monitoring

Observing public spaces to identify and address environmental issues such as littering or illegal dumping
Health and Safety Compliance

Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations in public areas
Community Engagement

Using footage to engage with the community on safety and security issues
Public and Staff Safety

Ensuring the safety of the public and staff in monitored areas
Crime Prevention and Detection

Preventing and detecting criminal activities and anti-social behaviour
Enforcement Actions

Taking enforcement actions where there is evidence of criminal activity or anti-social behaviour
Legal Proceedings

Identifying offenders and supporting criminal or civil investigations and prosecutions in court
Traffic and Highways Monitoring

Monitoring traffic flow and highways to ensure safety and efficiency
Targeted Surveillance

Conducting targeted surveillance only where the Regulations of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) applies
Intelligence Gathering

Utilising statistical data for intelligence purposes to improve public safety and security
Emergency Response Coordination

Assisting emergency services by providing real-time footage during incidents to improve response times and effectiveness
Asset Protection

Monitoring and protecting public assets and infrastructure from vandalism, theft, or damage
Training and Development

Using footage for training purposes to improve the skills and responses of staff in various scenarios

CCTV systems installed by Leeds City Council’s (LCC) are compliant with the requirements of the data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, which requires that CCTV surveillance is conducted in a manner that is necessary, proportionate, and transparent.

All the data collected onto these systems is treated in strict confidence and will be used only for the purpose(s) specified.

Lawful basis for processing

We will process your data in accordance with UK GDPR. The processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that the following applies:

Article 6(1)(d)- Vital interests: Processing may be necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject (such as the monitoring of Health and Safety incidents or alerting the appropriate emergency services to Health and Safety related matters)
Leeds City Council (LCC) utilises CCTV systems to protect the vital interests of its residents and staff. This includes ensuring the immediate safety and security of individuals in high-risk situations, such as emergencies or incidents that pose a direct threat to life or serious injury. By monitoring public spaces and high-rise buildings, LCC can respond swiftly to emergencies, guide emergency services to the scene, and assist in evacuations if necessary. This proactive approach helps to prevent harm and safeguard the well-being of the community
Article 6(1)(e) - Public task: the processing may be necessary for us to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law (further details below)
Leeds City Council (LCC) utilises CCTV systems as part of its public task to enhance community safety and security through maintaining public safety, preventing and detecting crime, and protecting its assets. This involves monitoring public spaces and high-rise buildings to prevent and detect crime, support law enforcement, and protect residents and property. The use of CCTV is necessary for performing tasks in the public interest, as outlined by UK law. By providing continuous surveillance, LCC can respond promptly to incidents, assist in emergency situations, and ensure a safer environment for all. This aligns with the council’s duty to uphold public safety and welfare, making the use of CCTV a crucial component of its official functions. LCC ensures that the use of CCTV is proportionate and balanced against the privacy rights of individuals, in compliance with data protection legislation

The legislation of relevance is:

Section 163 of the Criminal Justice
Public Order Act 1994
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
Highways Act 1980
Common law duty of care

Data retention, storage and destruction

Our data retention policies and procedures are designed to help ensure that we comply with our legal obligations in relation to the retention. This means that the footage will be kept for 31 days unless the law says that we need to hold it for longer or if there is a business requirement to do so. After this, the footage will be deleted or archived.

Who can we share your data with

We may share your personal information with the following organisations where appropriate:

Local Authorities:

Other local councils or municipal bodies
Health and Safety Executive (HSE):

For investigations related to workplace safety
Regulatory Bodies:

Such as the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for data protection compliance
Emergency Medical Services:

Ambulance services for incidents requiring medical intervention
Transport Authorities:

For incidents involving public transport or road safety
Educational Institutions:

Schools or universities for incidents occurring on or near their premises
Housing Associations:

For incidents related to housing and tenant safety
Security Companies:

Contracted security firms managing specific sites
Community Safety Partnerships:

Collaborative groups focused on local safety initiatives
Environmental Agencies:

For incidents involving environmental hazards or illegal dumping
Legal Representatives:

Lawyers representing individuals or organisations involved in incidents
Victims or Witnesses:

Individuals directly involved in or affected by an incident, under specific conditions

In addition, we will share your personal data where such disclosure is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person for the purposes of security and prevention of fraud and other criminal activity where such disclosure is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims, whether in court proceedings or in an administrative or out-of-court procedure.

Automated decision making

Your data will not be used for any automated decision making, including profiling.

Your Rights

The following rights under data protection law are available under the UK GDPR

the right to access - you can ask for copies of your personal data
the right to rectification - you can ask us to rectify inaccurate personal data and to complete incomplete personal data the
the right to erasure (where you can ask us to erase your personal data)
the right to restrict processing - you can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data
the right to data portability (where you can ask that we transfer your personal data to another organisation or to you
the right to object to processing (where you can object to the processing of your personal data) and
the right to complain to a supervisory authority - you can complain about our processing of your personal data the right to
withdraw consent (to the extent that the legal basis of our processing of your personal data is consent, you can withdraw that consent
Where we process your data under the vital interests basis, certain rights to do not apply, such as data portability, object to processing and the right to withdraw consent.

Where we process your data under the public task basis, certain rights to do not apply, such as erasure, data portability and the right to withdraw consent.

These rights are subject to certain limitations and exceptions. You can learn more about your rights through the ‘Your individual rights and how to exercise them’ and the Information Commissioner's Office website. You may exercise any of the above rights in relation to your personal data by writing to us, using the contact details provided below. When your data gets sent to other countries

When your data gets sent to other countries

The information you provide will not be transferred to another country outside of the UK.

Contact us

Any queries in relation to this Privacy Notice should be forwarded to:

Email: cctvcompliance@leeds.gov.uk

Data Protection Officer

Aaron Linden
Head of Information Management and Governance - Data Protection Officer
Leeds City Council
Merrion House
110 Merrion Way
Leeds
LS2 8BB

DPO@leeds.gov.uk

The council privacy notice is available to view privacy notice.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way in which your information has been handled you should speak with the specific service in the first instance.

Any data protection complaints about how the council has processed your personal data, will be handled in accordance with the council’s Complaints Policy. You can find out how to submit a complaint by visiting Complaints, compliments and feedback - let us know.

You can refer to the Information Commissioner if you consider that there has been an infringement of data protection legislation. Further details can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website.

Changes to this notice

We keep our privacy notice under regular review. We will notify you of significant changes to this notice by email or other means as appropriate. This privacy notice was last updated on 21 November 2024.

We keep our privacy notice under regular review. This privacy notice was last updated on 27 December 2023.

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