Agenda item

8.1  Jonathon Toy, Head of Community Safety and enforcement presented the CCTV strategy which was adopted by the Council in January 2010.

8.2  He outlined the overall purpose, which is to achieve the most effective CCTV we can in the borough, by delivering in the 5 priority areas of the strategy

-  A Safer Southwark – in support of the Safer Southwark Partnership priorities

-  Working in Partnership

-  Effective Council CCTV

-  A Proportionate approach

-  Communication – to deter offenders and reduce the fear of crime

8.3  The Head of Community Safety explained that the council has 20 re-locatable cameras which are operated within the code of practice, and these have facilitated a good record in covert surveillance.

8.4  Members of the sub-committee enquired about the control room, and were informed that as a vital part of the strategy it is hoped to move to a digital recording system from the current non-digital one as this would allow fixed time and date retrieval of images. The cost of this upgrade would be £320,000.

8.5  It was highlighted that Lambeth has a digital system already and there may be a possibility of Southwark linking with this.

8.6  The sub-committee discussed some alternative approaches including cabling, which could be built into the public realm strategy and capitalise upon the opportunities of the growing business community in the borough. There was recognition of a need to link up better with major developments such as More London.

8.7  The sub-committee requested some data on the effectiveness of the cameras and agreed that a site visit to the control room where this could be presented would take place at the next meeting.

8.8  The sub-committee discussed several issues which could make an effective scrutiny review:

-  The importance of building an effective network across the public realm, including the views of other stakeholders and partners

-  How we can get the CCTV where it needs to be

-  How the whole strategy and actions flowing from it are easy to access for residents