Fearful villagers ’forced’ to fundraise for CCTV
CAMPAIGNER SETS UP CROWDFUNDING PAGE AFTER CRIME SURGE WORRIES THE COMMUNITY
BUSINESSES in a Huddersfield village plagued by burglars are trying to raise £12,000 to install on-street CCTV cameras.
It is in response to a spate of successful and attempted break-ins at shops and businesses on Northgate and Westgate in Almondbury - around a dozen in the last three months.
Helen Tones, who set up a crowdfunding page on JustGiving, said that locals no longer feel safe in their community and that such incidents were having a negative effect on the reputation of Almondbury.
Writing on the fundraising page she said: “These break-ins have significantly impacted these small businesses.
“Members of the community no longer feel safe to walk round the village and give local shops their custom. It has also affected how the village is seen by those from outside.
“There has been continuing crime and anti-social behaviour happening in various places round the village.”
More than £1,000 has already been raised via the crowdfunder, which was set up as, according to Mrs Tones, “there is no budget from the police or Kirklees Council to fund such an onstreet CCTV project.”
She said she was “not amused” by the council’s response and said rising crime in the village was “a manifestation of all the cuts that have occurred over the years.
“Crime has been rising and it’s not being managed properly. The resources are not in place. There are no cameras that we are aware of operating within the village or on the council estate.
“It’s a false economy. The cost of putting up CCTV would have been less than the policing costs in attending these crime scenes.”
A spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police said the responsibility for CCTV rested with the local authority.
Clr Carole Pattison, Kirklees Council’s Cabinet Member for Learning, Aspiration and Communities, said the authority “fully backed” the group’s crowd-funding efforts, adding: “We welcome any community involvement in helping to keep Kirklees safer.”
She said there are approximately 150 public space CCTV cameras on streets and in car parks “in various towns” in Kirklees, monitored and recorded 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Three years ago 24 cameras were installed in Honley by the local business association.
Clr Pattison added: “We would be happy to meet with the relevant individuals to support them. Any assistance we can provide will be explored.”
Setting up CCTV in Almondbury is estimated to cost in the region of £12,000 which would cover equipment, installation and support contract.
Mrs Tones said no decision had been taken on who would control and monitor CCTV, but that it would meet police and council requirements.