Upgrade for CCTV cameras

System paying off

CCTV is being upgraded at Stirling’s bus station and park and ride sites.

Stirling Council’s public safety committee welcomed the plans, which will see the sites included on a digital system, at a meeting on Tuesday.

Councillors also heard that a £150,000 investment and review of how the cameras are used and partnership working with Police Scotland were paying dividends.

Since 2015 the council has installed 33 new public space CCTV cameras. The devices have been fitted throughout the city centre and an additional camera is being fitted in Murray Place.

Six cameras capable of being used in different locations have been acquired and will be used to target trouble spots

The city’s bus station and park and ride sites are being switched to the digital system. A number of existing cameras have already been upgraded to feed into the council’s CCTV digital platform.

Last year members heard that “brilliant” picture quality on the mobile CCTV cameras had helped to identify individuals in relation to a serious assault in the Bannockburn area and that other criminals had been caught by the cameras.

Decisions on where the cameras are deployed are taken on a monthly basis.

Public safety convener Maureen Bennison said: “With upgraded equipment now in place across the Stirling area, along with new redeployable cameras on standby, we can confidently say we are more equipped than ever to make sure the Stirling area remains a safe and secure place to live.”

Former public safety convener, Tory councillor Martin Earl, said: “A previous partnership agreement with other local authorities was not working in the best interests of Stirling Council and in 2014 we took the then much criticised decision to cancel it, introduce new digital technology, change our monitoring arrangements and completely overhaul the service.

“This was done on time and on budget, something that does not always happen in councils.

“I am glad the new administration acknowledge the success and I look forward to more improvements such as using mobile technology to catch fly tipping for example.”