Council reveals spying figures

And in most cases, targets are totally oblivious to the fact they are being watched by undercover officers, or tracked on CCTV and mobile cameras.

The news will come as a shock to the people of Brent and MPs have slammed the actions, saying they have no regard for the privacy of ordinary people.

Sarah Teather (Liberal Democrat), MP for Brent East said: "Quite simply, the only excuse for spying on innocent people is if there is a serious risk to public safety.

"Local people will be understandably concerned to hear the full consequences of these surveillance laws."

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, confirmed that over the past six years, Brent Council departments made a staggering 313 spying requests under The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).

The surveillance powers were introduced by the Labour Government in 2002, to tackle terrorism and matters of national security.

But local authorities across the county have used the legislation to catch out oblivious residents on a regular basis.

Brent Council confirmed departments including audit and investigations, trading standards, street care, environmental health, housing and social services had all used the RIPA powers.

It admitted councillors were not informed when the powers were put into practice.

A local authority spokesman said: "Councillors are not advised specifically of the use of these powers although all have received the new and previous versions of the anti-fraud framework, which states that surveillance is used for the investigation of fraud. "

The council's environmental health department said covert surveillance had been used to conduct investigations into allegations of noise nuisance, illegal livestock slaughter and the provision of unlicensed beauty treatments, as well as to combat dog fouling.

While trading standards admitting using the powers for criminal investigations into the sale of counterfeit goods, clocked cars and age restricted products such as alcohol and knives.

Phil Booth, from NO2ID, a group campaigning to stop government intrusion into privacy, said the council were abusing their position.

He said: "It is appalling that anti-terrorism powers are being deployed on unknowing members of the public just because they are suspected of a minor offence."

But Councillor Hayley Matthews (Liberal Democrats), responsible for community safety in Brent, defended the local authority's actions.

She said: "The council has only used these powers since they came in to make Brent cleaner greener and safer - something most local residents support."