Cash conscious Maidstone Borough Council is considering scrapping some of its network of CCTV cameras. The council needs to make £4.2m savings in the next four years and is reviewing its service after an overspend of some £80,000 was revealed.
The Safer Communities Consultation, a subsequent report, and media coverage has revealed a range of facts:
Mrs May’s government has toned down the austerity message which became synonymous with the leadership of the Cameron/Osborne ‘chumocracy’. However, the public sector is still under pressure to rein in spending.
Lighting, which, like CCTV, is another infrastructure element, is relatively simple when compared to policing. The police are under considerable pressure to eliminate costs and enforcement of law and order is a far more complex area.
The report findings strongly support the view that CCTV is part of a range of measures to create safer communities. The council’s review would simply rationalise the camera network and remove any camera where the cost-benefit case is not supported.
There is a recommendation for the council to analyse where cameras could be scrapped, however, no decisions have been taken. The council is likely to continue with its existing contracts for the coming year and review the situation when appropriate.
iC2 works with organisations of all types to ensure that CCTV is fit for purpose, compliant and delivers against budgetary considerations. Rationalising systems to optimise coverage is a key strategy for making sure systems provide value.
Optimising lighting enables CPTED, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, the principle of eliminating vulnerabilities loophole insecurity, such as poorly illuminated monitored areas.
To find out more about iC2’s consultancy services which help organisations rationalise CCTV networks and optimise security, simply get in touch today.
Image Source: Pixabay