Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES

For Cabinet to consider and review the location of CCTV cameras, and make recommendations as to where cameras should be retained, removed or added.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet

(1)  Noted that Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation are looking to withdraw from the funding of CCTV cameras in Letchworth. That Cabinet agree in principle to the taking on of Letchworth cameras (and the costs involved), but seek a continuing contribution from the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.

(2)  Agreed to the retention, removal and addition of CCTV cameras as set out in Table 1 of this report.

(3)  Delegated to the Service Director: Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and IT, a decision on the number of new mobile CCTV cameras that can be afforded within the existing overall revenue budget (making an allowance for monitoring costs and the costs of moving cameras).

(4)  Noted that additional capital investment in CCTV cameras will be needed and that this will be added to the capital budget for 2023/24 (subject to agreement by Full Council in February).

REASON FOR DECISIONS: The Council has chosen to provide CCTV cameras to help make the District a safer place to live and work. It also supports the Council’s Community Safety role, although the primary role sits with the police. This report therefore considers the optimum location for CCTV cameras based on evidence and professional knowledge.

Audio recording – 58 minutes 49 seconds

The Executive Member for Finance and IT presented the report entitled ‘CCTV Camera Location Review’ and advised of the following:

·         A lot of work had gone into this review following the budget review.

·         The Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation were stopping their support of CCTV cameras and so the review had been expanded to take these additional cameras on board.

·         It was hoped that as technology evolved the costs of this would be reduced, but this ultimately was dependent on technological advancements and also the performance of CCTV partners.

·         It was important to have a stock of mobile cameras, which provided additional flexibility not provided by static cameras.

Councillor Ian Albert proposed and Councillor Keith Hoskins seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet

(1)  Noted that Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation are looking to withdraw from the funding of CCTV cameras in Letchworth. That Cabinet agree in principle to the taking on of Letchworth cameras (and the costs involved), but seek a continuing contribution from the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.

(2)  Agreed to the retention, removal and addition of CCTV cameras as set out in Table 1 of this report.

(3)  Delegated to the Service Director: Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and IT, a decision on the number of new mobile CCTV cameras that can be afforded within the existing overall revenue budget (making an allowance for monitoring costs and the costs of moving cameras).

(4)  Noted that additional capital investment in CCTV cameras will be needed and that this will be added to the capital budget for 2023/24 (subject to agreement by Full Council in February).

REASON FOR DECISIONS: The Council has chosen to provide CCTV cameras to help make the District a safer place to live and work. It also supports the Council’s Community Safety role, although the primary role sits with the police. This report therefore considers the optimum location for CCTV cameras based on evidence and professional knowledge.