A ‘nonsense’ incident on a Dorset beach could have far-reaching repercussions for press photographers, campaigners have claimed.

As reported in Bournemouth’s Daily Echo, a photographer snapping a charity fundraiser last week was stopped mid-shoot by a local council beach warden in Poole.

The warden had cited a bylaw as the reason for his intervention and told the photographer he needed the correct permit to take photos on Sandbanks beach which is a popular spot for wedding photographers.

Borough of Poole Council later admitted the warden was incorrect to refer to any bylaw but insisted that photographers needed permission to shoot on the beach.

The council’s recreation manager told the Echo they had to balance the interests of photographers with other beach users and ensure public safety.

He added: “We do ask that any organisation or professional wishing to use council-owned land for commercial photography or filming to seek permission beforehand and provide evidence of public liability insurance. This is standard practice in the industry.”

If local authorities across the country insisted that press and commercial photographers sought permission every time they took pictures on council-owned property, the implications could be far-reaching.

Such a restriction could cover public parks, beaches, the areas outside council buildings which often contain register offices, and even local authority car parks.

Pete Jenkins, a freelance photographer and activist, told HTFP: “It is clear from all the evidence currently available that the council simply have no power to do this.

“Much of the UK public is very law abiding and trust those that give them instructions.

“So if a council employee turns around and says ‘thou cannot do that here’, the law abiding member of the public simply accepts the instruction, baseless in law though it may be and complies.

“Often it is a simple misunderstanding of the law, or even more commonly, poor training on behalf of the council involved.

“How many times have we had stories of traffic wardens advising photographers that they cannot take pictures of people in public places?

“So it is all a nonsense and Borough of Poole Council should simply know better and would be best advised to train both its managers and its beach wardens properly rather than harassing honest law-abiding members of the public such as photographers.”

Pete added that the British Photographic Council was already looking into the incident.

Comments

LJ (06/10/2009 11:53:40)
Once again we are banned from undertaking legal and innocent activities by the actions of a jumped up “I think I am the law” warden. Unfortunately the government – both local and central – is so enjoying the wide ranging latitude which the threats of “terrorism”, “pedophilia” or “public safety” give to it, it is virtually impossible that this ridiculous situation will be changed any time soon. What if the poor sod taking pictures was an amateur? I’m pretty sure if the tog in question had been using something small like a Leica he wouldnt have been challenged. Nope once again we have “big camera syndrome” – if you have a big camera you must be dodgy. Can someone perhaps think of a way we can start suing these idiots? Harassment perhaps? Whilst we’re at it, lets also start suing the police for their gross waste of public money in S44 stop and search, which has returned less than 1% arrest rate, even less conviction rate, and yet has cost hundreds of thousands in police hours in stopping and searching innocent people, particularly photographers. High time the authorities started realising, as has been said before, that they are public servants, not public masters.

Mr. Kim Sabido (07/10/2009 01:54:36)
What nonsense! Jobsworths have been active in the world for longer than most can remember and it’s about time ordinary members of the public woke up to the fact that, unlike most other countries, UK law is based on the simplel principle that: EVERYTHING that is NOT outlawed by statute, is legal and that means that mindless jobsworths have no more powers than a garden slug when it comes to enforcing laws unless there is a sign detailing the relevant by-law and in plain view to the public. We’re in danger of becoming the most restricted, spied on and dominated people in the free world and we have to start fighting back.