Underage Wigan children have been used as ‘bait’ to help find stores selling alcohol or tobacco illegally

The local authority’s confident scrutiny meeting heard how youngsters had previously been sent into shops asking to buy booze or cigarettes. The covert surveillance is sanctioned through the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act: something the council has only used three times in the last four years.

Officer Janet Davies told the chamber in Wigan Town Hall how officers use these secretive techniques of recording and monitoring in order to investigate and prosecute fly-tipping, underage sales of alcohol and tobacco and anti-social matters. CCTV was referred to as overt surveillance as it is visible to the public.

“We send someone we know is underage to try to buy tobacco for example and that would end in a punishment for the vendor of that item,” Ms Davies told councillors.

“We do access social media as a means of looking at activities ongoing.”

According to a report, the council has only used these powers three times since the start of 2019 – all occasions taking place in 2021. The report did not disclose which crimes had been investigated using this method as details “may prejudice the further detection and prevention of crime”.

When asked by Coun Shelly Guest, Ms Davies explained that people had been taken to court and prosecuted as a result of these powers being used by council. This type of covert surveillance can only be used for crimes where the punishment is a minimum of six months imprisonment for the sale of alcohol or prohibited goods such as tobacco to underage people. The powers must be granted by the magistrates’ court.

Before the court order is granted, considerations must be made for the proportionality of using covert surveillance and of any impact on anyone who may be unnecessarily included in the surveillance, a report states. Coun James Watson asked about a possible upgrade to CCTV cameras as well – but this data was not held by the council officer at the meeting.

Since 2019, there have been 118 extra CCTV cameras installed across the borough, with 52 of those coming to Leigh, council data shows.

A further 25 were installed in Platt Bridge, five at Chapel Lane Car Park, 30 on Standishgate in the town centre and six at Haigh Hall.

Last year, the council announced the investment of almost £500,000 into their CCTV network, with £56,000 towards improving the network in Platt Bridge and a further £420,000 earmarked for new and upgraded cameras in Wigan, Leigh, Ashton and Pemberton.