Lorraine Cox: Council looking for ways to fund CCTV monitoring

Exeter City Council told Mr Cox that 24-hour CCTV monitoring would cost more than £150,000

The father of a murdered woman has asked councillors to "look deep into your hearts" when considering funding for CCTV monitoring.

Lorraine Cox, 32, was killed by Azam Mangori after he stalked her walking home in Exeter in September 2020.

Her father Tony Cox implored Exeter City Council to fund 24-hour CCTV monitoring to protect women.

The council said it would continue to look at options to fund 24-hour manning of the CCTV control centre.

At a full meeting of the council, Mr Cox asked why money had not been found to fund the 24-hour monitoring after about £500,000 was acquired by the council to support safer streets.

He said problems with the CCTV system in the lead-up to his daughter's death amounted to "the worst case of a total failure".

Mr Cox's daughter Lorraine was murdered in Exeter in September 2020

Mr Cox asked councillors to "think what £155,000 would do for the residents and the confidence in the city" and "actually start to lead a safer city campaign with genuine intent".

He said: "This night-time economy is vital to this city, the university is vital to this city.

"If you don't want this to happen again for £155,000, I'm asking you all to look deep into your hearts - find that money, restore confidence in this city."

The council's deputy leader Laura Wright said: "The safer streets funding was a one-off capital grant from the Home Office, not ongoing revenue funding, meaning it cannot be used for staffing or salaries."

Ms Wright said guaranteed 24-hour coverage would cost an extra £155,000 a year.

She said the council would "continue to look for ways to achieve this" including through talks with the police and crime commissioner, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reports.

Ms Wright said the council always aimed to have two people in the control centre, but this could not be achieved all the time due to sickness.

In order to guarantee two members of staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week, accounting for unforeseen sickness and absence, the council would actually need an additional five members of staff to be employed, amounting to the £155,000 sum, she added.

The council said it had used the safer streets funding to update and expand the CCTV equipment and infrastructure, giving better coverage, improve images and recording facilities and to make the system simpler and more efficient.

Leader of the council Phil Bialyk told Mr Cox the council was trying to do what it could and would keep discussing the issue.