Colwyn Bay CCTV cameras threatened by Council Cutback!

Funny old world! We pay more council tax than ever and the council staff all get a pay rise, as well as all councilors!

And we get cutbacks!

Future funding cuts could lead to CCTV cameras being removed from Colwyn Bay, a concerned councillor warned. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin gave a presentation to Conwy County Council’s crime and disorder economy and place scrutiny committee at Bodlondeb.

Mr. Dunbobbin took questions from committee members, including Colwyn Bay councilor Chris Hughes, but warned the council and police faced "austerity on steroids". Cllr Hughes said he feared a partnership between North Wales Police and Conwy Council, which currently ensures CCTV coverage, could be threatened by council cuts.

His fears were raised after Conwy announced a budget shortfall of around £18.5 million. Cllr Hughes said he feared the council could be forced to cut any funding it provides for non-statutory projects, including CCTV cameras in Colwyn Bay.

"I wanted to highlight your officers’ priority in terms of developing the Safer Streets Project was to install additional CCTV cameras in and around the town,” he said.

“And I think we have benefitted from around six additional cameras; however, that brings itself a problem in that Conwy Council has to continue to fund the revenue funding to facilitate that. At the current time, with the huge problems we have – we are having massive problems in terms of our budget, as you know, and we are facing an unprecedented deficit.

“Do you foresee the police being able to support local authorities to be able to continue this really worthwhile service because for us it isn’t an essential statutory service, and it is one of those things that we have to potentially look at when we are reviewing our budget, and I would hate to see all that hard work that has been done over the last couple of years with Safer Streets go to waste?”

Mr Dunbobbin said he had visited the CCTV operations center near the Police HQ in Colwyn Bay and hoped the council and police could work together to ensure the cameras were continued. I’ve met up with the deputy leader, and she has shown me the CCTV camera operations,” he said.

“Isn’t it fantastic? Really, really great service there, and I’m happy to have further conversations with the leader and deputy leader about how we can deliver that same service but in a different way.

Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin (Image: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner)

“I’ve had really positive conversations with the leader and what working we can do together, not only within CCTV but also within the estate. I’ve challenged the force to give me a review of the police force’s estate, and I’m waiting for that to come through.

“But there could be some real opportunities there where we are able to come together as a public service family. We need to get out of being struck in a bit of a silo because of the challenges that are coming ahead… I thought I’d seen it all in local government. What is ahead is going to be austerity on steroids.”

From...https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/colwyn-bay-cctv-cameras-threatened-25570099