Investigation found person on long-term sick leave was also moonlighting in cafe

The authority decided to use its legal powers to set up a surveillance operation following a tip-off from the worker’s line manager last March, a report has revealed.

The employee, who had been on sick leave since the previous October, was tracked over a period of time and found to be moonlighting while claiming sick pay.

“The authorisation allowed the employee’s comings and goings to be monitored covertly outside the cafe by an audit investigator,” states the report.

“Evidence was obtained that the complaint was true and the individual who was the subject of the investigation was dismissed from the Council for this serious criminal offence under the Fraud Act 2006.”

Councillor Chris Greaves said: “It has saved taxpayers’ money – effectively this was a version of benefit fraud.”

The report to the Council’s Corporate Governance and Audit Committee also revealed officers have used ‘spy’ video cameras in offices and outside places of work where thefts of staff belongings and Council resources had been alleged.

But it shows how in the past two years the number of authorisations granted for surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 have fallen. In 2008/09 the total number granted was 32, which fell to 13 in 2009/10 and was standing at five from April to December last year.

The report adds RIPA powers have not been used to investigate breaches of school admission policies, dog fouling or littering.

The committee has now passed a recommendation to the Council’s management team and the Executive that only the appropriate strategic director will be able to invoke surveillance powers after agreement has been reached with a senior councillor.

Its chairman Councillor Val Slater said: “The powers should be used in only the appropriate cases and while we are happy it has been up-to-date we just wanted to tighten it that little bit further and at least involve one elected member in this.”