The District Council continues efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour with CCTV investments

As part of a comprehensive package to continue to improve the district’s CCTV one of the areas the District Council will be examining is bringing its CCTV provision into a new control centre in the Newark area. Whilst the feasibility needs to be scoped out in further detail, clear benefits of this possible investment have been identified.

This investment could see an increase in the speed of ASB and crime detection and a greater impact on the deterrence of offenders, with local police and Council officers having easier access to enable them to react quickly to reports of ASB or crime. This would further build upon the successful partnership working between the Council and the Police.  

 A new control centre for CCTV could also enable staff, directly employed by the District Council, to build up local knowledge and could allow them to concentrate their efforts on fewer cameras, solely in the Newark and Sherwood district, and assist in the proactive detection and prevention of crime. Whilst this has yet to be fully explored, and a full business case will need to be worked up, the District Council’s on-going investments continue to make significant strides to tackle ASB.

The District Council understand the issues that matter to local residents, businesses and communities and have committed to a comprehensive CCTV camera replacement programme to enhance the quality, quantity and reliability its network of cameras. Currently comprising of over 70 cameras, several of which can be relocated to ASB hot spots, the 24-hour CCTV network plays a vital role in tackling ASB and crime, providing evidence following reported incidents, and helping to identify and deter offenders.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The reduction in ASB rates and our continuing investment into improving the security measures in our district, such as CCTV, is extremely encouraging to see and I hope residents feel reassured that we are working hard to create a district in which residents, businesses and visitors can feel safe and welcome.

“We’ve seen the results that can be achieved from investments into security measures and following a partnership approach, as demonstrated in hotspot areas such as our town centre wards of Castle and Devon where the rates are continuing to decrease following targeted work. We must continue to use these systems and partnerships as tools to continue our work to crackdown on ASB and crime district wide, and I look forward to seeing what we have achieved a year from now.”

Background information

The November 2023 Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood Community Safety Performance Report and ASB Assessment (BNSCSP) has shown ASB rates are down year on year in Newark and Sherwood, with rates in November down by 23% when compared to the same periods last year, and rates for the financial year to date down by 11%, compared to the county reduction of 9%.

The report also outlined a decrease of a 60% in Castle Ward and 50% in Devon Ward, both Newark town centre wards where partners from the Council, Nottinghamshire Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) have been targeting a reduction.

Work to reduce the ASB rates in Balderton has already begun, with the District Council currently working with Nottinghamshire Police, OPCC and Balderton Parish Council on the Safer Streets 5 Project, through which a share of Nottinghamshire’s £1million of Safer Streets funding will go towards safety and security measures to tackle ASB, violence against women and girls and crime in the area.