Agenda item

To receive a report on the impact of CCTV installations in wards.

Consideration was given to a report which provided an update on the purchase and deployment of CCTV units as a result of additional funding of £60,000 made available in 2018. All the units other than one, which was awaiting the identification of an appropriate location, had been deployed, however it was reported that two currently had faults and were awaiting repair.

Members were asked to note that CCTV alone was not the solution in many cases. The installation of CCTV was therefore often accompanied by a range of activities, including increased patrols, intelligence gathering, identification of offenders and the issuing of warnings or further sanctions as appropriate. Resolutions to issues would also explore wider problem-solving opportunities, such as designing out crime, engaging with youth provision or working with schools in the area.

All but one of the cameras have now been deployed. These are re-deployable units. They are on a seven-day loop. In the main, they are overt cameras, providing a deterrent in the areas in which they have been deployed.

In discussion, Members wished to have more information about whether consideration has been given to funding the sustainment of the camera units through repair and maintenance plans. Officers provided clarification that the capital investment was for the procurement of new systems rather than a revenue stream to provide for the servicing and maintenance of the systems. Revenue funding would be required to provide for a service agreement in the longer term. Officers provided assurance that the suggestion was noted and will be explored during the upcoming full review of the CCTV use in the Borough.

Members enquired about the investment in covert cameras which have been effective to help deter fly-tipping and prosecute fly-tippers. The response from Officers provided assurance that covert camera use will be covered in the upcoming review of fixed, redeployable, overt, and covert CCTV systems.

Members also sought clarification about the court awards. Officers provided details around the reasons for varied costs for offences that the Council carried through to court prosecution. Occasionally for a repeat offender or a serious offense, it is sometimes determined best to prosecute in court rather than with a typical Fixed Penalty Notice. Officers noted that the costs for a court prosecution are often under-representative of the amount of effort that is expended. The Cabinet member elaborated that some fines have been disappointingly low—a number have actually amounted to less than a Fixed Penalty Notice. While some court awards have been very small, on the opposite end of the spectrum, and unusually, prison sentences have been seen for this kind of crime.

Members posed further inquiries about the limits of the deterrent effect of cameras. In response, officers emphasized the importance of generating results and of publishing those results.

Members also sought clarification on how irresponsible disposal can encourage profiteering. Officers encouraged citizens to be wary of individuals who advertise waste disposal and to use the government website to obtain information about registered waste carriers. Officers encouraged citizens to do checks to ensure that their waste is disposed of in a responsible manner. We see on a number of occasions the responsibility for fly-tipping on private land, and we are keen to pursue ways to deter all offences, whether on private or public land.

Members inquired about ways of ensuring that all the CCTV units are active and operational. Officers tour the Borough each week. It is resource intensive, but it mitigates the instances in which a unit might not be working and we might not know about that system failure. Now each week, an officer has to go and sit under the camera unit in order to do all the necessary checks. In order to mitigate that, we ensure all those units are regularly checked. We want to make identifying offences, dealing with offences, and identifying faults as efficient as possible using modern technology to help us leverage all of those assets and get them working together efficiently. Officers noted that an allocation that has been made to allow us to move forward with providing that platform.

Members inquired as to the number of overt and covert cameras and the quality of the images produced by the systems. Officers responded that covert CCTV has greater effectiveness than overt CCTV at helping us catch fly-tippers and that the quality and capability of the cameras is set by law.

Based on this information, Members suggested the incorporation of more CCTV use in the Borough. The Cabinet member noted that recent years have seen more money allocated for CCTV because we see it working.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That the results of the full-system review of CCTV, planned to commence in April 2020, be submitted to the Commission when completed.

3.    That consideration be given to the review addressing provision for maintenance and repairs.

4.    That consideration be given to expanding coordinated overt and covert camera use, on the grounds that results had been positive.