Council-operated CCTV in South Kesteven – including Grantham - has been given the official thumbs up by the Government's surveillance camera tsar.

South Kesteven District Council's CCTV team has received a one-year Certificate of Compliance after its CCTV monitoring operation was found to adhere to the national code of practice.

An independent assessor carried out a review before assuring the Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter that SKDC's operation of the system fully complies with his requirements.

SKDC operates more than 70 cameras - monitored round-the-clock - covering public open spaces in Grantham, Bourne, Stamford and The Deepings.

In the 2019/20 year so far SKDC cameras have recorded 2,421 incidents that have been reported to Lincolnshire Police, leading to 548 arrests.

Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations, Coun Dr Peter Moseley, said: "The cameras give residents peace of mind and help our partners in law enforcement to increase public safety and reduce crime across the wider area.

"We welcome the independent scrutiny of our CCTV operations and I am delighted we have received this recognition.

"It is a tribute to the hard work of our CCTV team who play a significant role in crime prevention."

The seal of approval applies to the council and all systems under its control but there was a specific focus during the assessment on the town centre cameras (Public Space CCTV) operation.

The certificate provides reassurance to the public that the cameras are effectively managed and that information gathered is used appropriately.

The code of practice aims to balance the need for cameras in public places with individuals' rights to privacy.

Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter said: "I am delighted that South Kesteven District Council has demonstrated its commitment to transparency, standards, good practice and protecting the public by achieving my third party certification mark.

"Certification allows organisations to visibly demonstrate that their systems comply with the 12 principles in the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice."