Surveillance powers used 400 times

Surveillance powers were used by councils across the Black Country to crack counterfeit scams, benefit fraud and clamp down on anti-social behaviour in the last two years.

Figures released to the Express and Star under the Freedom of Information Act show councils in the region used the Regulatory Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) more than 400 times to launch surveillance investigations on unsuspecting benefits cheats, unscrupulous traders and flytippers.

Walsall Council used the act - which was initially designed to fight terrorism - most, with 216 instances for the financial years between 2008 and 2010 to investigate anti-social behaviour, benefit fraud and trading standards operations.

Leader of the council Mike Bird said: "These powers are not used lightly and I am sure our residents would be pleased to know we are taking decisive action to catch benefit cheats and rogue traders, cracking down on anti-social behaviour and investigating staff who are working while absent on sick leave.

"Surveillance is a key tool in helping us prevent or detect crime and disorder."

Sandwell Council used the act 135 times, mainly for environmental protection, rogue traders and anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Derek Rowley, cabinet member for Safer Neighbourhoods at Sandwell Council, said: "We are determined to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, environmental crimes and trading standards offences when the community's safety and security is suspected of being put at risk.

"One such case where the effective use of these powers were used was in the prosecution of a bogus faith healer who was sentenced in court recently."

Wolverhampton City Council used the act 120 times to combat noise nuisance, rogue builders and benefit fraud.

Peter Calvert, Wolverhampton City Council's trading standards manager, said: "These powers are not used lightly, they are important in the fight against the kind of anti-social and criminal behaviour which makes other people's lives a misery."

Sixty-two of the operations resulted in successful prosecutions or informal cautions with legal proceedings being carried out against 20 fly-tippers, six nuisance noise-makers and nine fake benefit claimants. Action has also been taken against shops selling booze to youngsters, illegal fuel sellers, and rogue electricians.

Dudley used the act 41 times, mainly for the sale of alcohol and benefit fraud.

Councillor Adrian Turner, cabinet member for legal and property at Dudley Council, said: "During the last two years in Dudley, we have only used covert surveillance powers when it has been justified and necessary to support work being carried out around serious criminal behaviour including benefit fraud."

Stafford Council used the act only 10 times in two years to track down fly-tippers, as a result there has been a dramatic fall in incidents.