Talks on CCTV across the county

8:34am Thursday 31st January 2008

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TROWBRIDGE Town Council is working on a plan to co-ordinate every camera in Wiltshire at a central control centre to give instant access to all areas of the county.

Bill Austin, the town council properties manager, is organising a conference in Trowbridge to discuss the plans.

Taking place in the Civic Hall on February 28 at 10am the free event is an opportunity for private companies, Wiltshire Police, Crown Prosecution Service and security camera suppliers to discuss how best to bring together the disparate CCTV activities in the county.

Mr Austin is promoting the issue because the town's own CCTV system is five years old and ready to be modernised.

He said: "Rather than just update our system it makes sense to co-ordinate the efforts of every town and the businesses in those towns to create a single, modern, effective CCTV system.

"I think people feel safer, particularly at night, if there are cameras around and I think they deter criminals and prevent some anti social behaviour.

"When they do not prevent crime they can help to convict criminals by recording their misdemeanours for the police and eventually the courts to see.

"I want one central CCTV control centre, not necessarily in Trowbridge, which can access every camera in Wiltshire.

"If we work together we can combine the resources we need to monitor the images. We can ensure we abide by regulations relating to data storage and we can modernise together.

"At the conference visitors will be able to see the latest technology available, such as cameras which record only when there is movement and therefore save hours and hours of wasted footage.

"The police have promised to attend the meeting and I want developers of new residential estates and shopping centres, as well as CCTV operators from towns across Wiltshire to get together and work out a way forward.

"It has the potential to be a money making exercise as well as a way of preventing crime or securing more criminal convictions.

"The current situation is very broken up and isolated. Nobody is communicating with each other and the CCTV systems are not being fully utilised."

If you are interested in attending the conference call (01225) 710919 or email b.Austin@trowbridge.gov.uk