CCTV has been installed outside flats near Morgan Jones Park in Caerphilly town in a bid to fight anti-social behaviour.
The camera, near the Morgan Jones flats, was installed after a rise in anti-social behaviour and vandalism in recent months.
Morgan Jones councillor James Pritchard said: “It was clear from the recent residents’ meetings and general door knocking I undertook in the area that something needed to be done to try and fight crime.
“I’m pleased that positive measures are now being introduced and I would say to anybody who’s thinking of committing crime near Morgan Jones Park not to do so. We’re watching you.”
This is very good news to the Constituents of Councillor Jamie Pritchard in the Morgan Jones Ward.
The Residents in the Town centre asked Caerphilly Council, some months ago, to consider the provision of extending the town centres CCTV street system into the residential streets to combat the huge increase in crime and disorder in the residential streets of the town, and to assist the Gwent Police in tackling offences of Arson, Assaults, Criminal Damage, to cars and to homes in the town.
The residents Association had a formal response from the Council`s senior officer in charge of CCTV and other safety issues she replied as follows, which appears to be in conflict, if she was honest and correct, with what Councillor Jamie Pritchard has managed to do, and flies in the face of the following statements.by that officer of the Council;
SHE SAID;-
“While we do not have a specific policy that prevents us locating public open
space CCTV cameras in residential areas, in the main, all our cameras
are located in commercial and high footfall areas covering town and
village centres. This pattern is, as you would expect, due to greatest
need. Locating cameras in residential areas is, as again you might
expect, a sensitive issue.
The Surveillance Camera Commissioner is quite clear in that the location of
public open space CCTV must be in response to an identified need and a
specified purpose. Guiding principle 1 of the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice states “Use of a surveillance camera system must always be for a specified purpose which is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and necessary to meet an identified need.” “Our identified need within limited budgets is for our commercial centres as stated. We would not be able to justify surveillance in residential areas” “In addition a public open space camera is a significant investment and so locations have to be chosen based on greatest need. We do not have a budget to increase the size of the area covered by the system on a permanent basis and would be subject to close scrutiny if we were to
stray into residential areas” END.
It appears Jamie has managed the impossible, well done, perhaps other Councillors who represent the town Wards could learn a thing or two from Jamie. I shall be seeking clarification from the leader of the Council as to the reasons why there appears to be a complete dicotomy in the `rules` being applied by a senior officer of the council, and, an explination into this situation of what appears to be a formal dismissal of the needs of town centre residents whilst applying different rules in this case, how can that happen????
This is very good news to the Constituents of Councillor Jamie Pritchard in the Morgan Jones Ward.
The Residents in the Town centre asked Caerphilly Council, some months ago, to consider the provision of extending the town centres CCTV street system into the residential streets to combat the huge increase in crime and disorder in the residential streets of the town, and to assist the Gwent Police in tackling offences of Arson, Assaults, Criminal Damage, to cars and to homes in the town.
The residents Association had a formal response from the Council`s senior officer in charge of CCTV and other safety issues she replied as follows, which appears to be in conflict, if she was honest and correct, with what Councillor Jamie Pritchard has managed to do, and flies in the face of the following statements.by that officer of the Council;
SHE SAID;-
“While we do not have a specific policy that prevents us locating public open
space CCTV cameras in residential areas, in the main, all our cameras
are located in commercial and high footfall areas covering town and
village centres. This pattern is, as you would expect, due to greatest
need. Locating cameras in residential areas is, as again you might
expect, a sensitive issue.
The Surveillance Camera Commissioner is quite clear in that the location of
public open space CCTV must be in response to an identified need and a
specified purpose. Guiding principle 1 of the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice states “Use of a surveillance camera system must always be for a specified purpose which is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and necessary to meet an identified need.” “Our identified need within limited budgets is for our commercial centres as stated. We would not be able to justify surveillance in residential areas” “In addition a public open space camera is a significant investment and so locations have to be chosen based on greatest need. We do not have a budget to increase the size of the area covered by the system on a permanent basis and would be subject to close scrutiny if we were to
stray into residential areas” END.
It appears Jamie has managed the impossible, well done, perhaps other Councillors who represent the town Wards could learn a thing or two from Jamie. I shall be seeking clarification from the leader of the Council as to the reasons why there appears to be a complete dicotomy in the `rules` being applied by a senior officer of the council, and, an explination into this situation of what appears to be a formal dismissal of the needs of town centre residents whilst applying different rules in this case, how can that happen????
If people were decent parents their children would not grow up to be thugs. I have a different solution to anti-social behaviour in this area. Put armed police on patrol with the authority to shoot (using non-lethal weapons) any person who take part in anti-social behaviour.
If people were decent parents their children would not grow up to be thugs. I have a different solution to anti-social behaviour in this area. Put armed police on patrol with the authority to shoot (using non-lethal weapons) any person who take part in anti-social behaviour.
A comment from Caerphilly County Borough Council: “The council is keen to point out that the cameras that have been located at Morgan Jones flats are there for a tenancy enforcement protective function and are temporary wireless cameras provided by the council’s Housing Department. These are different to the Public Open Space CCTV system that are referred to in Mr Bond’s comment. “
Reference this ` Council` Clarification, I would like to know how the Council Housing Department `monitor these cameras, or are they monitored as part of the general CCTV system managed by the Council?.
If these cameras are in `public places` how can the `Council` justify this in light of the information they provided in denying such facilities to the `residents` of the town centre.
The Council spokesman who provided this explination to the Observer should take due notice of the Council`s previous comments as copied, word for word in my previous comment on this article.
A comment from Caerphilly County Borough Council: “The council is keen to point out that the cameras that have been located at Morgan Jones flats are there for a tenancy enforcement protective function and are temporary wireless cameras provided by the council’s Housing Department. These are different to the Public Open Space CCTV system that are referred to in Mr Bond’s comment. “
Reference this ` Council` Clarification, I would like to know how the Council Housing Department `monitor these cameras, or are they monitored as part of the general CCTV system managed by the Council?.
If these cameras are in `public places` how can the `Council` justify this in light of the information they provided in denying such facilities to the `residents` of the town centre.
The Council spokesman who provided this explination to the Observer should take due notice of the Council`s previous comments as copied, word for word in my previous comment on this article.
I also understand that some of these homes are privately owned, so what has that to do with the Council`s `Housing Department`.?