Councils defend 'spy' powers use

New figures show Lincolnshire councils have used special surveillance powers on more than 200 occasions in the past three years.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) allows the use of "covert human intelligence sources" to help prevent crime, including terrorism.

Local authorities have use RIPA to target benefit cheats and fly-tippers.

Officials defended their use, saying they followed guidelines to make sure they were "fair and proportionate".

RIPA USE CASES North Kesteven - 5 South Kesteven - 25 East Lindsey - 10 West Lindsey - 53 Boston Borough Council - 26 South Holland - 59 City of Lincoln - 16 Lincolnshire County - 23

These allow suspects to be observed and cameras to be placed at crime hotspots.

Wayne Lambert from West Lindsey District Council, which has used RIPA authorisations 53 times in the last three years, said they used the legislation with great caution.

"We will use our powers proportionately. If there is something that can have a big negative impact on the community like commercial fly-tipping we think in a situation like that it is justified that we can put a camera in a remote proximity to try to get those people who are doing that crime and catch them and bring them to book."

But East Lindsay District Council has used the law just 10 times over the same period. Christina Gains, a waste enforcement officer for the council, said there were other ways to enforce the law.

"We tend to have lots of other options out there, we tend to use members of the public if they are willing to come forward.

"The RIPA we don't use as often because there are other alternatives out there - it is only when there is an occurrence of fly-tipping over and over again and we have no other option."

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