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| Four Welsh councils used undercover surveillance on staff | Four Welsh councils used undercover surveillance on staff |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Four councils in Wales have spied on staff using undercover surveillance, BBC Wales has learned. | Four councils in Wales have spied on staff using undercover surveillance, BBC Wales has learned. |
| Gwynedd, Cardiff and Bridgend councils said staff had been put under surveillance in "exceptional circumstances" such as when fraud may have been committed. | |
| Caerphilly council stopped using undercover surveillance in April. | Caerphilly council stopped using undercover surveillance in April. |
| One teacher who was monitored while on sick leave said it had left her feeling vulnerable and violated. | One teacher who was monitored while on sick leave said it had left her feeling vulnerable and violated. |
| Councils can conduct surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, often referred to as "anti-terror legislation". | Councils can conduct surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, often referred to as "anti-terror legislation". |
| The legislation makes provision for the interception of communications and the carrying out of surveillance. | The legislation makes provision for the interception of communications and the carrying out of surveillance. |
| Undercover surveillance on council staff is often undertaken when there is a suspicion that fraud is being committed. | Undercover surveillance on council staff is often undertaken when there is a suspicion that fraud is being committed. |
| 'Intense emotions' | 'Intense emotions' |
| BBC Wales contacted the 22 local authorities in Wales over the matter. | BBC Wales contacted the 22 local authorities in Wales over the matter. |
| Gwynedd, Cardiff, Bridgend and Caerphilly all said they had used undercover surveillance, although Caerphilly stopped in April and was reviewing its policy. | Gwynedd, Cardiff, Bridgend and Caerphilly all said they had used undercover surveillance, although Caerphilly stopped in April and was reviewing its policy. |
| Conwy council said it was considering using it in future. | Conwy council said it was considering using it in future. |
| But six councils, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Merthyr, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea, failed to reply to the BBC's request for information. | But six councils, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Merthyr, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea, failed to reply to the BBC's request for information. |
| Teacher Kim Shaw was followed by a surveillance company on behalf of Caerphilly council two years ago while she was on sick leave. | Teacher Kim Shaw was followed by a surveillance company on behalf of Caerphilly council two years ago while she was on sick leave. |
| Although the authority has since stopped using undercover monitoring, she says it has left her feeling vulnerable. | Although the authority has since stopped using undercover monitoring, she says it has left her feeling vulnerable. |
| "My reaction when I first saw it was utter revulsion," said Mrs Shaw. | "My reaction when I first saw it was utter revulsion," said Mrs Shaw. |
| "Then I experienced a whole range of quite intense emotions, ranging from fear that someone had actually been almost stalking me and then to incredulity at the personal details in the report. | "Then I experienced a whole range of quite intense emotions, ranging from fear that someone had actually been almost stalking me and then to incredulity at the personal details in the report. |
| "For example, my footwear was described as flamboyant with kitten heels and flowers on the front of my shoes, which suggested that I couldn't possibly be stressed. The whole tone of it was just absurd. | "For example, my footwear was described as flamboyant with kitten heels and flowers on the front of my shoes, which suggested that I couldn't possibly be stressed. The whole tone of it was just absurd. |
| 'Threatening' | 'Threatening' |
| "But to think of these agents noting the way I walked, what I was saying, the expression on my face, where I was going felt really threatening and almost violating." | "But to think of these agents noting the way I walked, what I was saying, the expression on my face, where I was going felt really threatening and almost violating." |
| Nick Pickles from the privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch said the powers that local authorities used to carry out surveillance should be closely monitored. | Nick Pickles from the privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch said the powers that local authorities used to carry out surveillance should be closely monitored. |
| "Councils, like a range of public authorities and the police, are governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act," he said. | "Councils, like a range of public authorities and the police, are governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act," he said. |
| "The government changed the law last year to mean that councils have to get a magistrates' warrant before they can use these powers. | "The government changed the law last year to mean that councils have to get a magistrates' warrant before they can use these powers. |
| "However, even with that check in place I'm still not convinced that we shouldn't be taking these powers off councils all together and saying that if a serious crime is ongoing it should be the police investigating not local authorities." | "However, even with that check in place I'm still not convinced that we shouldn't be taking these powers off councils all together and saying that if a serious crime is ongoing it should be the police investigating not local authorities." |