CCTV - would  it actually help?

This is straight political lobbying and is not appropriate in "official" newsletters! The trouble with this sort of propaganda is that you only get one side of the story. Some of us are deeply worried about the way that small towns like ours are being covered in CCTV cameras. This kind of "big brother" snooping can only be justified by an outstanding success record. I asked at the meeting when this proposal was put forward if anyone had ever been successfully identified and charged in this area as a result of CCTV evidence and I got no reply. Thai Shire had CCTV pictures of the youths who were smashing their windows but apparently they couldn't be identified. Off-licence CCTV cameras get good close-ups of customers. Often the stores know who has been knicking stuff but the thieves are savvy enough not to be caught on camera actually stealing so nothing can be proved. Its obvious when you think about it. How are you ever going to get a close-up mug shot of somebody actually committing a crime. You can either see their face or you can see what they are doing. Nor does it actually deter anybody. The thieves know where the cameras are and stay out of shot. There are two wide-angle cameras outside the Kings Arms which apparently cover the street. But they didn't pick up the thieves making off from the Manor House Gallery opposite with a wheelie bin full of lead. How is this possible? The policeman said "All the cameras picked up were our nightime police patrols"!! And how did CCTV cameras help catch the villains in the Great Co-Op robbery? These cameras are apparently not good enough to pick up number plates.

The reason the Town Council actually hesitated about agreeing to the installation of  CCTV in the town centre was that we were being asked to pay a quite disproportionate and unfair amount of money compared with what Witney is paying.  Has this been sorted out? We don't know. With a control room in Witney what are the chances of something being spotted on a Chippy camera and a patrol car being despatched in time to do anything. Given normal response times, the thieves would be long gone. But many of us have a much deeper concern. We are worried that CCTV will simply be an excuse for the police to cut down even further on the night patrols which are essential in this town.  Beware. CCTV is just another New Labour fad which is making millions for the manufacturers of cameras and security systems. They may be helpful in busy cities where you can justify 24-hr monitoring but have no relevance to small market towns where very little happens most of the time. What we need (for the umpteenth time of asking) is foot patrols in the town centre between 11pm and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.  They are the only deterrent which will actually work. If the police are not going to provide this service then perhaps the time has come for the Town Council to get together with town centre traders and see if we can raise the funds to hire a private security firm - before we all get cleaned out completely!

  Our poll closed on 21st June. It ran for 5 days. 200 people voted. Would you believe that 100 thought CCTV was a good idea. 100 thought it was a waste of money. Clear enough result then?

CCTV or not CCTV that is the question??

There was a long discussion about CCTV at the Town Council on Monday evening.  The Council still could not agree it was a good idea and asked for more information. Councillor Glyn Watkins reflects on  some of the issues involved.

CCTV is coming to Chippy