Lack of funds impacts Devon CCTV scheme extension

Most of the cameras are focused on Barnstaple town centre

Councillors have been told there is no pot of funding available to extend CCTV schemes across part of Devon, despite the help cameras have provided.

North Devon Council's strategy and resources committee was presented with the 2023 annual report on CCTV during a meeting on Monday.

Members were told there were 1,766 observations, 96 arrests, 438 missing people found, 560 anti-social behaviour incidents and 575 reviews of footage from the 37 council-owned cameras, which mostly cover Barnstaple town centre.

But councillors were told funding was not available to extend the project - which cost £191,000 to run in 2023.

'Racking up costs'

Committee members were told parish and town councils might need to fund projects through their own element of council tax, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Paul Crabb, Conservative councillor for Ilfracombe East, said funding becomes available from time to time from the Police and Crime Commissioner to buy cameras but there was an issue with the running and monitoring costs.

"Ilfracombe town centre is happy to put cameras in but terrified of racking up revenue costs," he said.

Graham Bell, Lib Dem councillor for Braunton East, added that some parishes did not have a police presence or a police station and that should be taken into account when deciding on sites for future CCTV.

Council chief executive Ken Miles said if parishes had a problem with anti-social behaviour and they wanted funding for cameras and the district council to monitor them, that was something that could be done.