Because these activities may interfere with a person's right to privacy, they could be subject to legal challenge under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, which protect the right to respect for private and family life.
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 provide a statutory framework to ensure these activities are appropriately regulated and do not breach the Human Rights Act.
The council maintains a RIPA policy to ensure its activities are lawful, proportionate and properly authorised. A copy of the policy is attached to this page.
We are developing a Halo process to record requests, reviews and approvals for activities covered by the RIPA policy. Until this process is in place, please use the forms attached to this page if you're considering any activity that may fall within the policy.
If you're unsure whether your planned activity falls within the policy, or have questions about how it applies, please contact internal audit, email internal.audit@derbyshire.gov.uk or contact legal services for advice.