CCTV isn’t working, says campaign group

Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date online: 04 January 2010

COUNCIL chiefs are reviewing the effectiveness of CCTV cameras in Oldham saying they don’t want to become a “Big Brother” authority.

The pledge came after campaigners complained that councils are growing more invasive but increasing CCTV is not stopping or solving crime.

They say the number of cameras controlled by local councils has tripled nationally in the last 10 years from 21,000 to 60,000.

The research conducted by Big Brother Watch — a new campaign fighting intrusions on privacy and protecting liberties — shows Oldham has 78 CCTV cameras, which works out at 0.4 per 1,000 people for its 217,273-strong population.

Portsmouth and Nottinghamshire Councils are in control of the most CCTV cameras with 1,454 each. Residents in the Outer Hebrides are the most watched people in the UK with 8.3 council controlled CCTV cameras for every 1,000 people.

Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “Local councils across Britain are creating enormous networks of CCTV surveillance at great expense, but the evidence for the ability of CCTV to deter or solve crimes is sketchy at best.

“The quality of footage is frequently too poor to be used in courts, the cameras are often turned off to save money and control rooms are rarely manned 24-hours-a-day.

“With crime on the increase, it is understandable that some people want more CCTV, but we would all feel safer with more police on the beat, there would be fewer crimes and those crimes that do occur would be solved faster.”

Councillor Rod Blyth, Oldham Council’s Cabinet member for people and communities, said: “Our borough has 78 CCTV cameras which — given its geographical size — is not a large number.

“When deployed correctly, CCTV cameras can assist law enforcement and also help to reassure local communities. We are, however, currently in the middle of carrying out a review of all these cameras to measure and consider their effectiveness.”