The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) yesterday forced Pocklington Town Council (PTC) to share documents with me as a result of my Freedom of Information (FOI) request remaining unaddressed by PTC for over two months in breach of legislation.

The documents are an admission by PTC that their CCTV system in Pocklington has been unlawful since 2001.

• “Responsibility for the management of the CCTV will lie with the council.”
• “Are there appropriate signs which inform the public when they are in the area covered by surveillance camera systems? No – but working to installing new signage.” 

This has shocking consequences as any evidence from the Pocklington CCTV system used in a Court of Law was inadmissible. I would suggest to PTC to prepare themselves for legal action as an estimated 738 cases used inadmissible evidence from their unlawfully operated CCTV system.