CCTV Agreement Reached In Denbighshire

A 12 month “trial” partnership agreement has been reached that will ensure public space CCTV systems in three Denbighshire towns will be maintained. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Previously, the CCTV system was operated by Denbighshire County Council from the Control Room at Rhyl Police Station. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of budget cuts the County Council agreed that it could no longer fund the CCTV service. This will save Denbighshire £200,000 for the 2016/17 financial year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The main purpose of the CCTV system is to support the Community Safety Partnership’s approach to reducing the level and fear of crime, and to provide a safe public environment for the benefit of those who live, work, or visit Rhyl, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan, all of which have public space CCTV. The service also monitors a small number of CCTV cameras located on council land and buildings, for the purpose of security. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following its decision to stop funding the CCTV system, Denbighshire set up a working group, made up of representatives of North Wales Police, Rhyl, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan Town Councils and the Rhyl, Prestatyn and Elwy Area Member Groups (made up of county councillors for those areas) to consider a partnership approach to maintaining a CCTV service in the three towns. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now, under the new 12 month trial arrangement, all existing cameras will be retained, they will continue to operate and record and they will be the responsibility of the partnership i.e. Denbighshire County Council Council, North Wales Police and the 3 Town Councils of Rhyl, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan. All the partners have made a financial contribution to ensure a CCTV service is maintained, DCC being the “lead” partner i.e. the Council will manage the CCTV service on behalf of the partnership. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The initial 12 month period came into effect on 1 April, and as well as maintaining a CCTV service the partnership consider options for generating income, grant funding and other service delivery models in the hope that the partnership can be maintained beyond the initial 12 month trial period. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Graham Boase, Denbighshire’s Head of Planning and Public Protection, said: “Denbighshire has needed to make some tough decisions during the budget setting process and stopping the funding of the CCTV operation was one of those tough decisions. We recognised the need to potentially have some kind of alternative provision which is why we engaged with partners at the earliest opportunity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 3 Town Council’s and North Wales Police responded in a really positive way, and through their determination we have found a way of maintaining a much valued CCTV service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The agreement to run the CCTV service through a genuine partnership arrangement is ground breaking and I’m confident the partnership can work together over the next 12 months, not only in terms of managing the CCTV service, but also to look at developing the partnership so that the arrangements can become permanent. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

I would like to take this opportunity to thank North Wales Police and the 3 Town Council’s for their foresight, support and commitment and hopefully we can all look forward to maintaining an affordable, sustainable CCTV service for the 3 towns for the long term. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​