Closed circuit television (CCTV)

We operate 100 public space cameras to help prevent crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and increase community safety in North Somerset.

CCTV is a useful tool for:

• Tackling crime
• Helping vulnerable residents
• Keeping communities safe
• Safeguarding

The CCTV system will only be used to:

• Enhance community safety
• Reduce crime and the fear of crime
• Deter anti-social behaviour, all within the bounds of an approved Code of Practice (the Data Protection Act 2018, The Human Rights Act 1998, and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 also serve to protect the rights of the general public)

• Instant picture information to the Police
• Police able to target their resources better
• Cameras deter crime
• Detection or identification and quicker apprehension of suspects
• Prevention of incidents before they begin
• Instant assistance with accidents, people taken ill, collapsed etc.
• Quicker and more effective for finding lost or wanted people

We have produced an interactive CCTV dashboard aims to help you see what our Control Room is doing to keep North Somerset safe. The dashboard includes an overview of incidents and outcomes from our Control Room.

We have public space CCTV cameras across North Somerset, particularly in Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead. 

Our interactive map shows the location of all our public space CCTV cameras across North Somerset.

You have the right to request CCTV footage of yourself under Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You have a right to be provided with images of yourself, if we hold them, but not of any third parties.

We hold CCTV footage for a period of 28 days only. Any footage requested beyond this time limit will not be available.

Road traffic collision or offence

If your request relates to a road traffic collision, we won't be able to accept a Subject Access Request for this as we can only provide images of you, and not of third parties - you will need to go through your insurance company or legal representative.

If your request relates to a road traffic offence, such as a fail to stop, you must go to the Police.

If you would like CCTV footage of yourself

If you require CCTV footage of yourself where you are present and identifiable, which may have been captured by cameras we own, please provide the following identifying information where applicable:

• date and time of the requested footage
• precise location of the requested footage
• description of yourself and clothing worn at the time of the incident (to help the CCTV operators locate the footage of you)
• any further descriptive details you feel are relevant to your application

We may refuse to provide footage to you if it is likely to prejudice:

• Prevention and detection of crime 
• Apprehension and prosecution of offenders 

If no data is held with regard to your request, or the data falls into a category exempt from disclosure, we will write to you and tell you.

CCTV throughout North Somerset undergoes an annual privacy impact assessment. The assessment makes sure that CCTV systems are being operated in accordance with the current legislation surrounding data protection. We also make sure they remain fit for the original purpose for which they were installed.

A Data Protection Privacy Assessment on all public space surveillance cameras was carried out on 13th January 2023, the assessment determined that all public space CCTV cameras are fulfilling their original purpose, as detailed in the CCTV System Code of Practice.

We have received one complaint since the last assessment on 11 Nov 2021. This was regarding camera D157 Baker Street and the concern of intrusion into a property. Following this, the camera has been set up with privacy zones.