CCTV is getting an major upgrade in Stratford district.
Five CCTV cameras will be replaced with upgraded models, a wireless system will be introduced at Stratford Recreation Ground, there will be eight new re-deployable cameras and the CCTV data storage will be upgraded thanks to funding of £200,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The new CCTV cameras will replace cameras in Wood Street and Henley Street in Stratford, High Street in Henley and High Street in Bidford. All these areas have a high footfall and therefore the cameras are used more.
Re-deployable cameras are used to respond to crime and anti-social behaviour hotspots.
Five of these cameras are reaching the end of their useful life together while three additional cameras will be used for events and emerging hotspot areas.
By upgrading these areas, the CCTV operators will be able to provide a much better-quality image to enhance community safety locally.
Stratford District Council operates a 24-hour CCTV control room which covers nine towns and parishes. Working in partnership with Warwickshire Police and other key agencies, the team deal with over 14,000 incidents per year.
Not all incidents relate to criminal activity. CCTV has played a key role in supporting vulnerable people with welfare related incidents, environmental management by monitoring flooding, road traffic accidents and flagging incidents to partner agencies to allow them to deal with issues more effectively.
SDC’s Cabinet approved the funding for the CCTV upgrade at a recent meeting.
SDC’s law spokesperson Coun Natalie Gist said: “I am very pleased that Cabinet has decided to support our bid to the SPF to upgrade the CCTV provision for the district.
Residents consistently let us know that crime reduction and prevention is very important to them. Our CCTV service helps support our work and that of our partners in helping to keep residents safe.”
