Wirral Council operates over 180 fixed public space CCTV cameras across the borough. These are mainly located at major traffic intersections. They are also in areas of high crime and anti-social behaviour to protect public safety. Many of our council premises also contain CCTV cameras which are linked to the network.
Redeployable CCTV
The council also operates a small number of redeployable CCTV cameras and a Community Reassurance (CCTV) vehicle. These are placed temporarily in areas of higher crime and anti-social behaviour. We do this in consultation with the Police, based on crime data analysis and intelligence reports.
What is the CCTV used for?
The CCTV system is used for the following purposes:
- reduce crime and disorder
- provide real time information about ongoing incidents
- assist with investigations and enforcement
- assist with missing person enquiries
- provide intelligence
- reduce the fear of crime and help people feel safe on Wirral
- monitoring of the road network
Monitoring of CCTV Cameras
All CCTV cameras are monitored from the council's Emergency Control Centre. This is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by Community Safety Officers. Officers receive regular briefings to ensure that the system is used as effectively as possible. The Emergency Control Centre is fitted with a police radio to ensure seamless communication with the emergency services.
Training of CCTV operators
All Community Safety Officers are employed directly by the council. Access to the control room is restricted and officers must be DBS checked and subject to police vetting. All officers receive comprehensive training and are licenced to operate public space CCTV by the Security Industry Authority.
How long are recordings kept for?
Recordings are kept for up to 30 days in line with Home Office recommendations. If recordings are deemed evidential, they are moved into a secure digital storage locker. This locker is subject to regular review and once the recording is no longer required it will be deleted. If a recording is required by Police or other third party as part of an investigation, a copy is provided on a memory stick.
Who do we share images with?
We may share images, as necessary and in line with our legal obligations or to reinforce the prevention and detection of crime, with:
- National Regulators, for example Information Commissioner’s Office, Ombudsman, Investigatory Powers Commissioner
- Judicial Agencies, for example courts
- Police
- Solicitors
- Insurance companies
- CCTV operators
- Fire and rescue services
- Regulators and investigatory bodies
- Other council services
- Members of the public, only under strict Data Protection conditions, such as a validated Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act or a qualifying Freedom of Information request
- Government agencies such as National Highways and HMRC
Obtaining copies of images
If you believe that you have been recorded on one of our cameras you have a right to access images of yourself. These constitute personal data and are governed by the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulations. To access personal data, you should contact us at informationmanager@wirral.gov.uk
You will need to provide:
- exact date and time (allowing sufficient time to process your request given the 30-day retention policy)
- exact location (we are unable to process general requests)
- proof of identification such as a passport or driving licence
- description of yourself including clothing worn at the time
Our ability to respond to requests is limited as we will not be able to supply footage or images if they:
- form part of a criminal investigation
- contain identifiable personal data
Wirral Council does not currently have the ability to redact images.
Obtaining footage from a criminal matter in which you were involved
If you are a victim of crime, you must report the incident to the police and obtain an incident reference number. All criminal matters are dealt with by the police, and we will provide them with access to footage when they request it.
Obtaining footage from a road traffic collision in which you were involved
If you have recently been involved in a road traffic collision and believe the collision may have been caught on CCTV you should contact your insurance company. They will make the request for footage on your behalf. Requests from insurance companies should be made promptly as footage will be deleted after 30 days.
Insurance companies should be very specific in their request and include the following:
- date and time (within 30-minute period)
- exact location of collision including direction of travel
- make, model and colour of the vehicles involved
- a brief description of the incident
There is a £82.95 (plus VAT) fee for carrying out a search for CCTV footage. This includes reviewing footage from 30 minutes before the time you provide and 30 minutes after.
If you do not know the exact time, please provide an estimated time. A search will be carried out 30 minutes either side of the time you specify. For example, if you state 03:30, the search will cover 03:00 to 04:00.
This payment must be made when you submit your request using the form below.
If the incident time is only approximate and a wider search window is required, you will be informed of any additional cost. Any extended search must also be paid for in advance.
Before submitting a request for CCTV footage, the requester will need to create a MyWirral account.
What happens after a request is made?
If the incident has been captured on CCTV, you will be contacted by email with an electronic link to make a further payment of £173.25 (plus VAT). You will need to log in to your MyWirral account to make payment.
All footage is provided in a proprietary format with its own dedicated media player. It will be sent to you by recorded courier (with tracking) on a memory stick. A covering witness statement will also be provided for continuity of evidence.
If there is no footage available, you will be notified via email.
Obtaining Images if you are a Statutory Agency
If you are a statutory agency or government organisation requesting CCTV footage for lawful purposes such as crime investigation, enforcement, safeguarding, or regulatory activity, please contact us directly.
All statutory agency and government organisation requests should be submitted via email to CCTVcontrolroom@wirral.gov.uk.
Please include the following information in your email:
- your agency name
- your role and contact details
- purpose of the request (for example, crime investigation, safeguarding, enforcement)
- location, date, and exact or estimated time of the incident
- any relevant reference numbers
Your request will be reviewed assistance given to guide you through the next steps.
Location of our Public Space CCTV cameras
Wirral Council does not publicise the location of its public space CCTV cameras. Releasing this information would make citizens more vulnerable to a national security threat.
Public space CCTV cameras serve multiple purposes, including supporting civil emergency responses and countering terrorism. Disclosing the precise locations of these cameras could enable individuals to:
- exploit gaps in surveillance to increase the impact of civil emergencies, civil unrest, or terrorist activity
- hinder or disrupt an effective and coordinated response to such incidents
Is Public Space CCTV used for enforcement purposes?
Public space CCTV operated by Wirral Council is used for parking and moving traffic enforcement along with the enforcement of environmental crimes such as fly tipping.
Use of Video Content Analytics
Wirral Council uses a commercially available video contents analytics (VCA) program (Briefcam) to speed up the analysis of CCTV footage. This undertakes no data processing within the data protection legal definition of automated decision making. Should VCA be used in the data processing, the council will review any outcomes via a manual human assessment.
Covert CCTV
While the vast majority of council CCTV resources are overt, there are a number of covert CCTV cameras which may be used for:
- preventing and detecting anti-social behaviour and crime
- preventing and detecting environmental crime such as fly tipping
The deployment of these cameras is controlled by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Any deployment will need to be authorised by a magistrate.
Installing private CCTV at your home
Members of the public may use CCTV on their premises without telling the council. The CCTV should not encroach on the private space of others. You should take care to ensure that the placement of cameras does not leave you liable to potential claims or litigation.
To find out about installing CCTV on your property visit the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website for advice and legislation.
CCTV used on your property is exempt from the Data Protection Act unless it captures footage of people outside of your property or in a public space. If this is the case, you must be fully registered with the ICO and comply with all legal requirements.
Installing CCTV in your business
Businesses may install CCTV but must register it with the Information Commissioner's Office. They must conform to the Information Commissioner's Office Code of Practice. They must also clearly register the systems purpose.
To find out about installing CCTV at your business visit the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website for advice and legislation.