School admits carrying out covert CCTV surveillance of public

A metal junction box close to an entrance to school playing fields hides two secret CCTV cameras that have been secretly recording members of the public who use the green space.

Cotham School says that they use the covert surveillance at Stoke Lodge playing fields “reluctantly”.

Reference to not using covert CCTV was quietly removed from the school’s data protection impact assessment when the cameras were installed in January.

Since then, the school say that the secret cameras have recorded ten incidents of criminal damage to their property in Stoke Bishop by just one person, with footage being handed to the police.

A spokesperson for We Love Stoke Lodge said that the covert surveillance was “a matter of serious concern” and another reason why the infamous fence surrounding the playing fields needs to be removed.

On a visit to the playing fields on Wednesday, one camera at the front of the box had been taped up but the other camera on its side was still visible through a tiny peephole.

The land at Stoke Lodge is owned by Bristol City Council and leased by the school, with the controversial six-foot-high fence first installed on the 22-acre site in early 2019 against a backdrop of ongoing tension.

Revealing the existence of the secret CCTV camera, the campaign group We Love Stoke Lodge said that their “greatest concern” is that Cotham School’s data protection impact assessment originally said that the school would not use covert cameras and that all camera locations would be clearly visible.

A spokesperson for We Love Stoke Lodge said: “”This is obviously a matter of serious concern for all users of the playing fields whose right to respect for private and family life has been compromised without their knowledge.

“The school’s impact assessment appears to suggest that the reason they want CCTV at Stoke Lodge is to protect their perimeter fence but so far as most residents are concerned, 24/7 surveillance is not a proportionate or justified response.

“In any case, these cameras are pointing at the field, not the fence. It’s yet another reason why the fence needs to come down as soon as our application for Town or Village Green status is granted.”

A damaged sign close to the controversial fence – photo: Martin Booth

In a statement, Cotham School said: “Since the installation of our signs in July 2018 and the installation of the fence and gates between January 2019 and March 2019, we have been subject to persistent criminal damage, involving both the signs and the fence at our offsite Playing Fields at Stoke Lodge.

“This disappointingly takes vital school funds away from the education of our students to cover the cost of the necessary repair to ensure that our students have an offsite sports provision which is able to be secured and remains fit for purpose.

“The number of reported crimes to Avon and Somerset Police between July 2018 and December 2021 relating to criminal damage to our property at Stoke Lodge Playing Fields exceeds 25 separate reports.

“In January 2022, we met with representatives of Avon and Somerset police following an influx of incidents and were advised to consider the use of covert CCTV monitoring to try and catch the perpetrators of these crimes.

“Avon and Somerset Police were highly supportive that we try to draw these ongoing issues to a close and suggested the use of either wildlife cameras or covert CCTV monitoring of the crime hotspots.

“Following the meeting with Avon and Somerset Police and the advice issued in January 2022, two covert CCTV cameras were installed at Stoke Lodge Playing Fields.

“Our Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for CCTV was updated in January 2022 to remove any sections relating to not using covert CCTV to allow the use of these cameras.

“The updated DPIA was fully supported by the Governing Body who would like to see the ongoing criminal damage and waste of public funds be brought to a conclusion.

“These two cameras were successful in recording 10 separate incidents of criminal damage to our property by a single member of the public.”

Dog walkers now need to walk around the perimeter of the playing fields – photo: Martin Booth

The school’s statement added: “The damage to our property from this one individual alone has cost us in excess of £4,000. We presented this evidence to Avon and Somerset Police and this member of the public was arrested by the police and given a conditional caution for the criminal damage committed at our playing fields.

“Unfortunately, this individual has breached their conditional caution and continues to cause a nuisance at our school playing fields and we will continue to seek further support from Avon and Somerset Police to draw this individual’s persistent, disruptive and costly actions to a conclusion.

“The two covert cameras installed at Stoke Lodge Playing Fields are the only two covert cameras that have been reluctantly used by the school. Both cameras remain fully operational to allow us to continue to collect evidence to pass to the Police as the criminal damage to our property continues to persist.”

Main photo & video: Martin Booth

Read next:

• Stand-off at Stoke Lodge
• Report into council’s surveillance of SEND parents branded a ‘whitewash’
• Row over Stoke Lodge playing fields escalates again
• Ashton Gate and Ashton Vale set to both be transformed

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