Kent tops poll for local authority surveillance on residents

CCTV cameras abound in some areas

Kent has topped the list of counties in Britain for the frequency with which councils are using controversial surveillance powers. The revelation comes in figures released by the pressure group Big Brother Watch, which is questioning whether local authorities should use the legislation which can grant them permission to effectively spy on local residents.

Officials in Kent say they only use the monitoring methods to catch people involved in serious crime. Derek Johnson reports.