Issue - meetings

Consider report by the Service Director Assets & Infrastructure.  (Copy attached).

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Regulatory Services detailing the current Public Space CCTV provision in the Scottish Borders and providing a further update to the previous report issued in 2015.  The report explained that questions had arisen as to the viability of the Council continuing to provide and fund public space CCTV.  There were currently seventy Public Space CCTV cameras located within eight towns within the Scottish Borders.  Generally, the systems were analogue and with recent technological advances they were out of date and life expired.  The Council was not currently in a position to fund the installation and maintenance of new public space CCTV systems throughout the Region.  The Street Lighting Team Leader, Mr Alex Young reported that the Council had met all ongoing revenue costs, including energy consumption, telecoms charges, consumable items and annual charges from contractors who provided maintenance support for each system and Police Scotland did not make any financial contribution to the town centre schemes.  The Police were supportive of CCTV provision within the local communities but had indicated that they were not in a position to fund or to contribute to the funding of public space CCTV in the Borders.  It was further reported that there was revenue budget provision of £40,000 available for the maintenance of all eight systems, of which around £33,000 was within the maintenance contract and the remainder spent on repairs.  After a full discussion referencing the desire of communities to have CCTV, the availability of cheaper systems and the need for the Police to contribute to funding, Councillor Turnbull, seconded by Councillor Tatler proposed that a further recommendation be added requesting that the Service Director Assets and Infrastructure use the 5 Area Partnerships as a vehicle to consult the public and the strategic Community Planning partners on the future provision of CCTV within communities and how this could be funded and this was unanimously agreed.

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)       to note that the current Public Space CCTV provision in the Scottish Borders was no longer fit for purpose;

(b)       to note that the Council was not in a position to fund the installation and ongoing maintenance of public space CCTV systems within the current available budget;

(c)       to support the Police and communities that wished to install, extend or replace CCTV systems to help them find a solution fully funded by those communities.  Funding would include the cost of installation and subsequent maintenance and monitoring.  The protocols around the use, management and monitoring of any CCTV system would be agreed by the community with the Police; and

(d)       that the Director of Assets & Infrastructure use the 5 Area Partnerships as a vehicle to consult the public and the strategic Community Planning partners on the future provision of CCTV within communities and how this could be funded