Newark and Sherwood District Council to bring CCTV network in-house

The District Council is working on a hard-hitting programme of investments and initiatives to improve safety and security in the district and as part of this has committed to enhance the quality, quantity and reliability of the district’s CCTV network. The latest step in these plans is the agreement to bring its CCTV monitoring provision into a new, Council owned control centre in the Newark area.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “I am thrilled to see the progress we are making as part of our comprehensive package to improve the district’s CCTV. This is about being proactive in tackling a range of different things, including ASB, and the improvements we are making, from the quality to the control of the system, will make such a difference. To put the quality improvement simply, it’s like moving from a black and white to HD TV! These latest plans will allow us to not only continue the work done through the current control room but will also allow us to provide a significantly better and locally focused service.

“The current partnership control room equipment is in need of updating regardless of these plans and this approach will allow us to make sure the investment into new technology is directly going towards creating a safer Newark and Sherwood.”

Currently comprising of over 70 cameras, several of which can be relocated to ASB hot spots, the Council’s CCTV network plays a vital role in tackling ASB and crime, providing evidence following reported incidents, and helping to identify and deter offenders. New cameras were recently installed in Cleveland Square and the improved image quality will help keep the area, including its newly refurbished play park, safe to enjoy.

The in-house control centre will allow the District Council to be more proactive when tackling and deterring ASB and crime by increasing the speed of which offenders and incidents are detected. It will enable targeted local intelligence to help increase identification of offenders, and the site will allow targeted events management to take place, working directly with key partners such as the Police to direct resources in real time.

The new control centre will also create jobs in the local area, through the new positions that will be vital for operating and monitoring the 24-hour control room. These staff, who will be directly employed by the District Council, will be able build up local knowledge as they concentrate their efforts on fewer cameras, solely in the Newark and Sherwood district, and assist in the proactive detection and prevention of crime.

There is also the potential for the new control room to generate income by monitoring sites for other organisations and this will be explored in the future.

Councillor Paul Taylor continues: “The latest reports show ASB rates are down and, whilst this is extremely encouraging to show that our efforts to tackle ASB are working effectively, please be assured, we know this behaviour continues to impact residents and businesses. We will continue our work to drive the rates down whether it is through our CCTV improvements, our expansion of the ASB Team, focusing on partnership working, or any of our other investments and initiatives.”

The improved cameras are part of a package of measures the District Council is adopting to tackle ASB across Newark and Sherwood. Other activities include, but are not limited to, expanding the Anti-Social Behaviour Team, involving residents in a review of the district’s Public Space Protection Orders, hosting Community Safety Events for residents to speak directly with their local Council and Police officers, and in recurring or more serious cases the District Council serve injunctions and criminal behaviour orders.