CCTVNEWS
SPONSORED BY DAVENPORT BURGESS
Working with the Surveillance
Camera Commissioner
The Information Commissioner has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
the Surveillance Camera Commissioner, Andrew Rennison, on 23 October.
The agreement commits both
organisations to working with each
other to regulate the use of CCTV and
other forms of surveillance cameras
in England and Wales. The pledge will
help to avoid duplication of effort by
establishing clear working relationships
between both Commissioners.
‘ICO is currently in the
processes of updating
its existing CCTV
Code of Practice’
The use of CCTV continues to be the
source of a great deal of public interest.
In the last 18 months the ICO has issued
a number of important rulings relating
to the use of surveillance systems. These
have included the decision last year
ordering Southampton Council to stop
the mandatory video recording of all
taxi passengers’ conversations in the
city, and a more recent decision earlier
this summer ordering Hertfordshire
Constabulary to review its use of ANPR
cameras surrounding the town of
Royston.
The ICO is currently in the processes
of updating its existing CCTV Code of
Practice so that it reflects the additional
issues included in the Surveillance
Camera Commissioner’s Code - published
on 12 August.
ICO has also published what they
describe as a ‘road map’ that explains
the roles and responsibilities of the
Information Commissioner, the
Interception of Communications
Commissioner, the Office of the
Surveillance Commissioners, the
Surveillance Camera Commissioner,
the Biometric Commissioners, the
Investigatory Powers Tribunal and the
Intelligence Services Commissioner
‘The pledge will help to
avoid duplication of effort by
establishing clear working
relationships between
both Commissioners’
www.ico.org.uk
ANDREW’S DREAM BECOMES REALITY
Young entrepreneur Andrew
Thomas, owner of South
Yorkshire-based CCTV
Factory UK Ltd, is fulfilling
his dream of running his own
business – with an accolade as
winner of ‘The Source (Skills
Academy) Most Promising
Business Sta rt-Up’ in the 2013
Barnsley and Rotherham
Business Awards.
It is only a little more than a
year since Andrew from Clifton,
Rotherham, launched his
own business. He had met his
business partner, Steve James,
while on holiday and it was
Steve who inspired Andrew to
launch the online business,
CCTV Factory Ltd, buying and
selling CCTV cameras. Initially,
Andrew ran the business
online in his spare time – but
after three months, he took the
momentous decision to give
38
THE NOV/DEC 2013 ISSUE
SPONSORED BY ADVANCED KEYS
up his ‘safe’ sales engineer job
and run the business full-time,
after Steve came on board
and invested in the company.
Andrew admits it was a gamble,
with many sacrifices to be
made, but after achieving a
turnover of £100,000, the
business has now begun to
manufacture its own range of
security products being sold
throughout the UK and Europe
– so the gamble is beginning to
pay off.
“I soon realised there was
nothing glamorous about
being a company director –
the role comes with immense
pressure, accountability and
many sacrifices along the way,”
he said. “When I started the
company, I never envisaged
winning an award, or how
difficult or mental straining
it would be,” he said. “I never
thought the business would
take off so quickly, I didn’t
expect to be competing and
winning business from some
of the UK’s major CCTV
suppliers,” he said at the
Awards ceremony held in
Rotherham’s Magna Centre.
The business recently
moved into larger premises
in Wombwell and Andrew is
looking to further expansion in
the New Year.
He expressed his thanks to
everyone who has helped him
make that dream come true.
“I am really pleased with what
I have achieved and hope the
next 12 months are as good as
the last when I look forward to
expanding the company even
further.”
To read more, visit www.locksmithjournal.co.uk