Conwy County Borough Council used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) which gives councils powers to intercept communications, carry out surveillance and access electronic information to catch criminals and prevent terrorism.

Figures, which came to light in a Press Association report, show over the past 12 months the council has used the powers to find a person who was alleged to be working while off sick, to identify someone buying alcohol for under-18s and to build cases against nine individuals involved in anti-social behaviour.

A Conwy Council spokeswoman said: "We use it when a problem has been reported to us and we need evidence to be able to take action. Reasons to deploy RIPA must be reasonable, justified, necessary and proportionate, and senior staff at Conwy Council have received in-depth training on the issue.
"For example, if we receive a complaint of noise nuisance. It can prove or disprove a complaint, helping us to determine genuine complaints from malicious complaints."

Bay of Colwyn Town Cllr Phil Ward said: "In cases like this the devil is always in the detail. Instead of snoopers from the council, there needs to be a law enforcement system in place that allows people to safety remonstrate with those who are engaging in anti-social behaviour.
"I can understand reasons for it and in certain circumstances it will work, but it worries me that they will use it as a broad brush to sweep everyone up and I think there is a danger in that."

A spokeswoman for Conwy Council said the use of RIPA has helped prove and disprove claims and that no surveillance has been questioned as invalid.

Every time the powers are used details are recorded and are audited annually by an investigator appointed by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners.

Sir Simon Milton, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "Councils are using these powers to respond to residents' complaints about rip-off merchants, fly tippers and benefit fraudsters. Without these powers councils would not be able to provide the same level of reassurance and protection local people demand and deserve."
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