Cuts in Funding Risk CCTV Reduction in Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington

Cherwell District Council confirms plans to end financial support for CCTV in order to save £99K a year.

17:10 16 December 2021

Cherwell District Council is proposing to cut the financial support for public space CCTV that it partly funds with Thames Valley Police in order to save £99,000 per year. If approved, the move will see the end of all CCTV live monitoring across Cherwell. 

 

The local authority is not mandated to provide the service but acknowledges that it offers "universal benefits for residents, visitors and businesses in Cherwell." 

 

The local authority's financial contribution to the service is currently being used to pay staff costs, maintenance, repair and refurbishment of 80 cameras located across Kidlington, Bicester and Banbury. 

 

The report reads: “It is more likely that the reduction of funding will lead to operational hours of the system being significantly reduced and potentially all live monitoring of the system ceasing.

 

“The system is likely to become mainly a tool to be used for retrospective evidence gathering and will degrade over time.”

 

Councillor Sean Woodcock (Lab, Banbury Ruscote), leader of the opposition at Cherwell District Council, said: “We were all presented with the results of the survey that said residents in Cherwell prioritise tackling anti-social behaviour and crime. That is something they want to see protected yet you want to cut CCTV across the district.

 

“The report says Thames Valley Police could pay for it but it also says that is unlikely, so you are cutting it.

 

“I do understand why the party of Matt Hancock and Allegra Stratton is not keen on recording equipment but this move is very much out of touch with the priorities of residents.

 

“It hampers the detection and prevention of crime and we will not be supporting it.”