Great Lakes Council’s manager of parks and recreation, David Bortfeld, said the council was recently forced to erect the signage to protect public privacy.

“It’s the standard best practice when dealing with community facilities where breaches of privacy may occur,” Mr Bortfeld said.

“We are not the only council to do it; most councils are doing it.

“Having the signage up promotes that council is aware of the issues and it makes the public aware of this behaviour.”

From now on anyone taking unauthorised photos of another person in a council-owned public place can face a criminal conviction and will be placed in the hands of local police.

However, Mr Bortfeld admitted that policing the issue was difficult.

“It’s very difficult as there are a number of places where the signage is up,” he said.

“We have drop-ins by our council staff, but the public is also very good at informing us or the police of any wrongdoing,” he added. Mr Bortfeld said while the signage was in place at each of council’s swimming pools, the area of most concern was around amenities blocks within the swimming pool complexes.

“Everyone has a mobile phone these days,” he said.

“To blanketly ban mobile phones from public places is unrealistic, but the signage allows us to effectively manage inappropriate use of these instruments.

“The signage is predominantly placed at the entrance to amenities blocks where situations may become slightly more private.”

Mr Bortfeld said since the signage was erected no charges had been laid.

The NSW Summary Offences Act now protects people from being photographed indoors or in change rooms (anywhere they can expect privacy) for the purpose of sexual gratification.