Issue - meetings

On 14^th July 2020 Prosperous Communities Committee had approved the delivery of public space CCTV upgrades and expansion as part of a funding bid made by The Lincolnshire Office for Police and Crime Commissioner to the Safer Streets Fund.

Prosperous Communities Committee had further resolved to recommend to Corporate Policy & Resources Committee that a capital budget be approved for the delivery of this project subject to the Safer Streets Fund bid being successful.

Members therefore gave consideration to a report which sought approval for such a capital budget to be established.

Members noted that the funding came with stringent conditions meaning the area specified within the report was one of only two areas within the whole of Lincolnshire eligible to apply.   Details of the bid submitted and the additional resources this would bring to the area were shared in detail with the Committee.

The bid outcome was awaited and was expected by the end of month, delivery of the proposed scheme was dependent on a successful bid, following which the timescales for implementation were tight, with all monies needing to be spent before March 20201.

Debate ensued and whilst the Committee were supportive of the investment, some Members had concerns around adequate monitoring, citing examples, and reference complaints from Members of the Public when the cameras had not been of assistance.

In response Officers, outlined the monitoring arrangements in place and the flexibility within those arrangements and peaks and trough times.  It was acknowledged that there was a perception that CCTV did not work and it was not always a deterrent.  However, CCTV could and would never prevent every crime.  It also needed to be acknowledged that detection was only part of the process when dealing with crime. Police presence at incidents nationally was on a priority basis.  Once a crime was detected, even if that was respectively, the outcome was very much dependent on the Criminal Justice System as opposed to in the control of the Council.  Unfortunately punishment did not always follow.  It was also noted that CCTV also afforded benefits in respect of wider enforcement issues of which they had been a number of successes.

Assurance was offered that in terms of detection of the crime, the system performed well and the upgraded system would see this picture improve further.  Details of the likely specification were shared with the Committee to demonstrate this point. Members also noted how any financial risk to the Council had been mitigated ensuring the project could be “overspent”.

Members felt it imperative that there was better reporting of outcomes directly resulting from CCTV intervention or information in order to improve public confidence, similar comments had been made  at the Prosperous Communities Committee, and therefore having consulted the proposer, the Chairman as the seconder raised the following additional recommendation for consideration, namely: -

“that Officers work with the Communications Team to undertake appropriate media activity with Local Press to report and promote successful outcomes from the use of CCTV across  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24