Areas may get CCTV sooner than thought

Communities could now get use of new CCTV cameras in their areas sooner rather than expected after a row erupted over them first being installed in underpasses.

Tory councillors had sought assurances at a full Stirling Council meeting in May over how the 10 new deployable cameras would be used and were assured that other cameras - not the new deployables - would be located in city underpasses.

Just weeks later, however, Tory councillor Alastair Majury said he had been told by officers that the new flexible cameras were to be installed in the underpasses and would only eventually become more widely available once those purchased specifically for the underpasses appeared.

The move angered people in outlying communities such as Callander and Dunblane, who were keen to make a case for use of the new equipment.

At a meeting of the council’s environment and housing committee, however, officials said the deployables were only being “tested” in the underpasses and once location plans for the deployables were ready they would be removed, regardless of whether the underpass cameras had arrived.

Officials told members: “The service has begun to review our data in relation to environmental crime, particularly with flytipping and littering. Once potential sites have been agreed we will need to consult with communities and in some places build in privacy impact assessments before installing the cameras.

“We are hoping to have the opportunity to test them in the underpasses. Initial testing of deployables will take a matter of weeks. We are expecting delivery of bespoke cameras for the underpasses by the end of June/beginning of July. The deployables will be taken out when (the new cameras) go in and by then our plan for the deployables should be ready.”

Senior manager for infrastructure, Brian Roberts added: “The timescale of the deployable cameras is not driven by the underpasses. These are two separate processes but unfortunately with the timing there has been confusion about how the cameras are being rolled out. If the deployables plan is ready before the underpass cameras appear the deployables will all be out of the underpasses and installed throughout the communities.”

Tory councillor Martin Earl said the 10 deployable cameras should not be being tested in underpasses but in areas in which they are likely to be used. However, he welcomed the commitment to remove them as soon as the deployables plan was ready.

He added: “I still don’t quite buy the ‘testing’ explanation to be honest. I’d like at least some of them tested in council areas not just in underpasses.

“There have been so many variations of this quite frankly.

“All I want is as many of these 10 cameras out in the communities as quickly as possible and I don’t see why they couldn’t be tested out there immediately.

“Some will present themselves as obvious testing places.”

Mr Roberts said: “We know there are a lot of issues in the rural areas. There have been a lot more than 10 locations identified.

“The assessments need to be done as to where they are deployed.

“They will look at flytipping and any particular hotspots. We also need to make sure it is being done legally.

“By the end of August all the redeployable cameras will be across the wider council area following assessment.”