CCTV investment is 'game changer' for Castle Point

More than £1m will be invested

A hundred new CCTV cameras are to be installed in a city area blighted by anti-social behaviour.

The Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, has agreed a £1m investment to upgrade technology around Castle Point.

The new cameras will be monitored by a Southend CCTV control centre for a fee.

Dave Blackwell, Independent leader of Castle Point Council, said the cameras would be a "game changer" for the area and would make "community safety 100% better".

He said the cameras would be installed in places like Canvey Lake, Canvey Town Centre, Waterside Farm, "and areas with high antisocial behaviour".

The coastal town of Canvey Island will benefit from the CCTV investment

“I think it’s massive for Castle Point and I am so pleased too," Mr Blackwell added.

"I definitely think people will feel safer with these new cameras and I think in the past the biggest problem we had was our CCTV was not being monitored.

"These will be monitored 24/7 and community safety is a big priority for me.

I would like to see new cameras installed across the borough in Canvey Town Centre, Hadleigh Town Centre, Tarpots in Benfleet and antisocial behaviour hotspots."

Mr Blackwell said the council would work closely with the police to decide the exact location of the cameras.

"With the monitoring centre in Southend, they can see an incident happening before it has happened," he said.

"I’ve been to see the centre and it is impressive, I do not care what anybody says people will feel safer and people will be safe with these improvements in the CCTV system."

The office of the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner said it would not be able to comment ahead of the general election.