1. Introduction

This Policy controls the management, operation, use and confidentiality of the CCTV cameras located around the outside and inside Goxhill Memorial Hall (see attached map). The Hall is managed by a volunteer trustee committee.

This policy is prepared taking onto account the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy is subject to periodic review by the trustee management committee to ensure it continues to reflect the public interest and meets all legislative requirements.

 

The Policy is based on the principles;

• All data must be fairly and lawfully processed;

• processed for a specific purpose and not in any way incompatible with that purpose;

• adequate, relevant and not excessive;

• accurate;

• not kept for longer than necessary;

• processed in accordance with individuals’ rights;

• held securely.

 

2. Statement of Purpose and Scope of CCTV Operation

The purpose of having the cameras where they are presently located (see map), is to provide continuous monitoring of activities inside Goxhill Memorial Hall and in its immediate surroundings, in order to record evidence of any wrong-doings or criminal activity. The CCTV system is also a requirement of the Memorial Hall's status as a licensed premises, providing real-time monitoring of various areas during times when alcohol is on sale.  The CCTV system records images from the high definition cameras around the building onto a control box which is only accessed by the Memorial Hall's caretaker. The outdoor cameras are angled to ensure their range does not extend to the public highway, so they do not record images of anyone outside the boundary line. The system is permanently active, and depending on the lighting able to monitor general activity inside the Main Hall, in the entrance areas and inside the Snooker Room. The images captured on the CCTV system are held for 30 days before being overwritten. Only the Memorial Hall caretaker has authority to access the recordings and only at the request of the Memorial Hall Trustee committee. 

 

3. Responsibilities of the Owners of the Scheme

The Memorial Hall Trustee committee takes full responsibility for the management and operation of Goxhill's Memorial Hall's CCTV system.

Any major change to the purpose, scope or operation of the CCTV scheme would only take place after discussion and agreement at an official committee meeting. This change would then be incorporated into the Hall's CCTV policy. Hirers of the Village Hall are informed of the existence of the CCTV cameras in the standard conditions of hire.

 

4. Management of the System and Accountability

Day-to-day operational responsibility rests with the Hall's caretaker, who regularly checks the system is working properly. Detailed investigation of the images recorded on the system is only carried out, on instructions from the committee, in specific instances where a complaint has been made, or in cases of theft or damage to the building, its surroundings, or the building's contents.  Copies of CCVT images are only made if the incident so recorded is the subject of a police report. Once the police have completed their investigations, the copy is then destroyed.

 

5. Control and Operation of the Camera

The following points are strictly observed:

• The system is only operated by an authorised and trained individual. Currently this is the Hall's caretaker.

• Passwords and access codes for the camera are stored securely and not disclosed. 

• No public access to the camera images is allowed, except for lawful, proper purposes that have been approved by the management committee, taking the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018, into account.

• The Police are permitted access to any recordings made on the CCTV system, if they have reason to believe that such access is necessary to investigate, detect or prevent crime. The Police are able to visit the Hall in order to review and confirm the operation of CCTV arrangements. Any visit by the Police to view images is noted by the Caretaker and reported to the committee.

• Any images taken from the CCTV system by the Caretaker for investigation purposes are stored securely, so they comply with data protection laws, and deleted once the incident they record has been dealt with.

 

 

6. The use of camera images

 

If there is an incident and a review of the camera images (authorised by the committee) is required, the footage is reviewed by the Caretaker as soon as possible after the incident to identify the timing and the person/s responsible.

 

If the incident requires further investigation, a record of the event is made and the committee informed, with brief details of the record entered into the committee minutes.

 

Images are not supplied to the general public, or to media, except on the advice of the Police if they deem it to be in the public interest. The caretaker would seek the committee's authorisation should such a course of action be requested.

 

 

 

Date Reviewed: 15/10/2019