Numbers have almost trebled in a decade to 60,000 — one for every 1000 people. And that excludes those used by private companies and central government.

In Dundee, however, that ratio is even higher, with one camera for every 163 people. Fife Council has the third-highest number, but a lower ratio than its neighbour across the Tay.

Council cameras were described by campaign director Alex Deane as a “cheap alternative to policing” that had little impact on crime. Figures about the number of cameras were released in a response to a Freedom of Information request.

Mr Dean said, “Local councils across Britain are creating enormous networks of CCTV surveillance at great expense but the evidence for the ability of CCTV to deter or solve crimes is sketchy at best.

“The quality of footage is frequently too poor to be used in courts, the cameras are often turned off to save money and control rooms are rarely manned 24-hours a day.”

The study, entitled Big Brother is Watching, found that 418 local authorities control 59,753 cameras. Ten years ago a similar study found the total was 21,000.

Portsmouth and Nottingham had the most cameras with 1454 each, with Fife on 1350. The camera-to-people ratio was high on some Scottish isles but on the mainland, Portsmouth had the highest ratio with 7.8 cameras per 1000 people.

Dundee was next with 6.1 cameras per 1000. Perth and Kinross has just 35 cameras for a ratio of 0.3 per 1000 people and Angus Council has none.

Big Brother Watch is a new campaign by the founders of the Taxpayers Alliance and aims to “fight intrusions on the privacy and liberties of ordinary Britons”.

Britain is thought to be one of the most watched countries in the world, with an estimated four million cameras. Ministers say CCTV is an “important tool” in fighting crime but a Home Office study found it has a negligible impact.

A spokesman for Dundee City Council said, “More than a decade ago we adopted and still maintain a policy of using CCTV cameras to increase public safety, particularly in the city centre.

“Over the years requests have come in from other communities asking for CCTV cameras to be installed.

“There is a joint group which comprises representatives of DCC, Tayside Police and other councils in the area which decides where cameras should be located.”