Privacy and CCTV

This Privacy Notice explains how the CCTV service at Buckinghamshire Council (the data controller) will use the personal information we collect about you when you use this service.

Buckinghamshire Council's CCTV scheme is operated under guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office and the Office of the Surveillance Camera Commissioner.

CCTV cameras are a significant tool in the fight against crime in Buckinghamshire.

CCTV can help detect crime and other public safety issues, as well as identifying missing persons.

Most uses of CCTV by organisations are covered by GDPR. For information about how we collect, process and share your information, read our Privacy policy.

You can also view the Information Commissioner's guidelines on the use of CCTV.

The Surveillance camera code of practice sets out new guidelines for CCTV and automatic number recognition. You can also view more information from the Surveillance Camera Commissioner.

The main aims of CCTV are:

• crime prevention and reduction in evidence gathering
• contribution to community safety/public reassurance
• security of property and facilities including our car parks and reception areas

If CCTV operators notice an incident, they can inform the police and direct them to it. CCTV footage can also be used as evidence following an arrest.

Across Buckinghamshire our CCTV control room manages and monitors cameras in the following locations:

• Amersham
• Aylesbury
• Beaconsfield
• Chalfont St. Peter
• Castlefield
• Chesham
• Hazlemere
• High Wycombe
• Marlow
• Princes Risborough
• Buckingham
• Gerrards Cross
• Amersham Old Town
• Iver
• Farnham Common
• Wendover
• Winslow
• Great Missenden
• Chalfont St Giles
• Holmer Green

You have the right to be told if we are holding personal data about you on CCTV. There are a number of exemptions to this, and footage is only kept for one calendar month unless being used as part of a criminal investigation.

You can make a Subject Access Request to find out what data we have about you on CCTV.

Buckinghamshire Council has public space CCTV in operation across the County, and we collect your information through digital means with both static and moving images captured through these CCTV cameras.

CCTV signage is in place to ensure those entering areas monitored by CCTV are aware that their data is being collected and by whom.

We can hold the following information on you:

• Our public space CCTV collects static and moving images that identify people

The CCTV may also incidentally record sensitive information, known as Special Category Data (such as visible disabilities or using a blue badge).

The council collects, processes and holds your personal information in order to provide our services effectively. The primary objectives of the council using surveillance cameras are:

• to prevent, investigate and detect crime
• to help reduce the fear of crime
• to assist with the apprehension and prosecution of offenders
• to enhance the safety of employees and the public
• to safeguard vulnerable adults and children
• to provide evidential material for court or committee proceedings
• to reduce incidents of public disorder and anti-social behaviour
• to evidence in investigations of gross misconduct (including protecting employees from allegations)
• to protect property
• to prevent and respond effectively to all forms of possible harassment and disorder
• to create a safer environment
• to provide emergency services assistance
• for the defence of the council or its employees with regards to legal or insurance claims

We recognise that your personal information is important to you, and we take our responsibilities for ensuring that we collect and manage it proportionately, correctly and safely very seriously.

The council collects and lawfully processes your information under the following:

• Section 163 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000
• Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974.

• GDPR Article 6(1)(e) – processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest in the exercise of official authority vested in Buckinghamshire Council
• GDPR Article 6(1)(f) - processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data, where the data subject is a child.

As and where the information or images we use includes special category information:

• Article 9(2)(f) - processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity
• Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR: processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest

We may disclose your information to others, but only where this is necessary either to comply with our legal obligations or as permitted by Data Protection legislation. We may share it with other public service bodies including the police, the fire and rescue services, internal or external enforcement agencies (such as Trading Standards, HM Revenue and Customs), and third-party insurance companies.

The reasons why we may share your data with other public bodies are as follows:

• to protect vulnerable adults who may be at risk of harm or abuse
• to monitor and improve our performance and delivery of services
• for the prevention and or detection of crime
• where necessary to protect individuals from the risk of harm or injury; and
• where otherwise permitted under the General Data Protection legislation.

We will only disclose your sensitive or confidential information to a third party if we are legally required to do so, or where we have good reason to believe that failing to share the information would put you or someone else at risk of harm.

We will securely hold your information and only keep it for as long as is necessary which is as standard one calendar month unless being used in a criminal investigation by enforcement partners. Where information is no longer needed it will be confidentially disposed of.

The Council does not transfer personal data that is processed for the purposes of this Privacy Notice to countries outside of the territorial scope of UK data protection laws, including:

• EEA countries

We do not carry out any automated decision making in relation to this information.

You have legal rights over your information. For details of those rights, see our corporate Privacy Policy. Your rights will differ depending on our lawful basis for processing your personal information.

Our Data Protection Officer can be contacted at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 0300 131 6000.

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to the Data Protection Officer. You can also then complain to the ICO if you remain unhappy with how we have used your personal information.

Date of publication/last update: 01/10/2025