In west Cornwall, eight towns are having their public space CCTV monitored by Cornwall Fire Service.
The Town Council CCTV project is the idea of Hayle Town Council. After installing cameras, the town approached others to see if they were interested in joining. The eight – Camborne, Hayle, Helston, Penzance, Redruth, Truro, Penryn and Falmouth – have a total of 80 cameras in operation.
Funded by the town councils via council tax, a contract – believed to be the first of its kind in the UK – was awarded to Cornwall Fire, Rescue and Community Safety Service (CFRCS). The 360 degree camera footage is recorded and monitored by staff based in the service’s Critical Control Centre in Tolvaddon. A link is also being provided to the Emergency Management Centre at County Hall in Truro so the images can be accessed in emergency situations such as flooding and major fires.
As staff from the Critical Control Centre have links to the police and ambulance services, they can also summon 999 help.
A stakeholders group has been set up to oversee and manage the project to see that the workload is shared among the eight councils and partners. The group, of elected councillors, and town council clerks, with representatives from the Fire and Rescue service and Devon and Cornwall Police, will be chaired by a councillor from a different council each year.
This year’s chair has been Rowenna Brock, from Falmouth. She said: “We know that residents in these towns recognised that CCTV was an effective tool in tackling crime and anti social behaviour and wanted it to continue to be used. Many people have told us that the use of CCTV makes them feel safer in their communities.
“I am delighted we have been able to achieve this by working with the police and the fire and rescue service and I am looking forward to building on the strong partnership which has been developed.
“I would like to pay tribute to everyone who has been involved in this ground breaking project which has been nationally praised as ‘a really good model for devolution’ and demonstrates how we are ‘Working Together to make Cornwall Safer.”
Cornwall Fire, Rescue and Community Safety Service’s Area Manager Kevin Thomas called the partnership an excellent example of localism and devolution. “We are very happy to be contributing to the creation and maintenance of safer communities.”
Supt Sara Crane, Devon and Cornwall Police Commander for West Cornwall, praised the use of CCTV, helping to support the police in dealing more quickly with anti-social behaviour. She said: “We have already seen positive results from the cameras which have already been installed in a number of towns.”
Visit http://www.cornwall.gov.uk.
Pictured: St Mawes Castle near Falmouth.
