Boroughbridge CCTV Decommissioned

Public CCTV cameras in Boroughbridge to be decommissioned due to the "lack of pressing need."

15:38 16 January 2018

Starting April 1, Harrogate Borough Council will no longer operate CCTV cameras in Boroughbridge, citing lack of pressing needs. The decision was made two years ago but Boroughbridge Town Council paid £3,800 to retain the CCTV’s fibre optic monitoring link to defer the removal. The council is now asking for public support to keep the system in place.

Mayor of Boroughbridge, Coun Peter Phillips said: "Everywhere councils are suffering a lot of anti-social behaviour, we are in close contact with the police and working hard to get on top of this but it does cause problems.

"Harrogate Borough Council might say say its a waste of time to protect the town centre but we want cameras in place to protect the assets of the town.

 "If they (residents) decide they do not want the system we may still install new cameras in areas such as Fountain Hall, areas that have historical value and anti-social behaviour.

Meanwhile, Coun Mike Chambers, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities defended the decision to remove the CCTV system. He explained: “The council has a duty to regularly assess the whole of its CCTV network in accordance with the CCTV Commissioner’s Code of Practice, under which we have to demonstrate that the use of CCTV cameras is proportionate and is meeting a pressing need. Where this isn’t the case we are obliged to look at decommissioning the cameras.

 “We appreciate the town council’s concerns; however there have been a limited number of incidents within the surveillance area in Boroughbridge and as such we have determined that the cameras are not proportionate and are not meeting a pressing need.