Issue - meetings

Purpose.

To update the Cabinet Member for Community Safety of the work undertaken by the Safeguarding camera team.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member for Community Safety note the report.

The report was noted.

Roy Goulding introduced the report and in response to questions clarified the following points:

·       There are 133 fixed and 18 re-deployable cameras. 

·       The team manages and maintains Gosport Borough Council Housing cameras.

·       The cover is 24/7 every day of the year.

·       The bid for three additional cameras and infrastructure was successful.

·       There is one year remaining for the contract for infrastructure phone lines.  When the contract expires, the council is looking at moving from analogue to digital. The existing systems are hybrid and therefore can be switched immediately once the infrastructure is in place.  The evidential value would be higher and therefore make the city safer.

·       It takes an operator approximately 12 months to be fully competent.

·       The Control room was originally built in 1996 and rebuilt/ upgraded in 2014

·       The funding that has been recently awarded will go towards upgrading the monitors, systems and laptops. 

Councillor Cal Corkery noted his support for this service and the importance of ensuring the public knows that the council takes into account of human rights with regard to privacy and the use of cameras is proportionate.

Councillor Lee Hunt noted that policing is done by consent in our country and the police feel safer with the body worn cameras and the safeguarding cameras.  Helping this way means that they can remain unarmed.

He summed up by saying that security and safeguarding of people is not only the responsibility of the police, the Community Wardens or Safeguarding Cameras staff.  It is a combination of working together with the regulatory services and youth services.  It is important that we continue to support each other and work together to tackle antisocial behaviour.  This together with the funding from the police that was recently granted that we go after those people in our communities who are committing crime and making the lives of residents miserable with antisocial behaviour.  The investment made in the control room and making more Community Wardens permanent and into the police, all will come together to improve the quality of life of everyone.

Councillor Lee Hunt noted the report.