Selkirk businesses fund new CCTV system for town

A new CCTV system is being installed in Selkirk after business owners decided to fund cameras to replace the local authority's broken ones.

Scottish Borders Council operates 70 analogue cameras in towns including Selkirk, Hawick, Galashiels, Eyemouth and Peebles.

A survey in 2019 found that 19 of the cameras were not working properly.

The Selkirk Means Business group said the new system would reassure residents and help police when incidents occur.

Eight digital, fisheye style cameras will be installed next month.

As well as providing 360-degree coverage, the system can be remotely viewed and operated through bluetooth connections.

Concerns had been raised that the existing cameras that do work in the town provide limited and poor quality footage, so are rarely accessed by police.

David Anderson said the old system was obsolete and needed replaced

Businessman, and chairman of the Selkirk Means Business commerce group, David Anderson said: "Police tell me that they have to rely on private business CCTV just now as the town's current cameras are no use.

"In Selkirk alone there have been acts of vandalism in the town centre, as well as crimes that weren't caught on CCTV because the cameras weren't working.

"The old system is obsolete, it doesn't work and it isn't used by the police.

He added: "Selkirk is not a criminal hotspot by any stretch of imagination but we are now going to have a new digital CCTV system that will provide reassurance for residents and businesses.

"It will also help police whenever there has been an incident - that could be a crime or a situation such as a missing person."

'Feeling a little bit safer'

Caroline Cochrane (right) said the she hoped the new cameras would act as a deterrent

Caroline Cochrane, who jointly runs the town's post office, has experienced two robberies as well as an opportunist theft in recent years.

She said: "The new CCTV will certainly act as a deterrent as well as help police if a crime has been committed.

"Selkirk Means Business began looking at replacing the CCTV more than four years ago, so this has been a long wait, and I'm sure the people of Selkirk will appreciate feeling that little bit safer."

Last year the village of Newcastleton became the first community in the Scottish Borders to install its own surveillance cameras.

It is expected that other Border towns will follow Selkirk by looking at buying their own systems.

Selkirk community police officer John Murray said: "At present Selkirk CCTV opportunities rely in the main on the goodwill and availability of private CCTV.

"The potential increase in coverage for Selkirk town centre can only increase the chance of positive outcomes."

Selkirk Means Business provided funding for the new £30,000-system, with support also coming from the town's common good fund.

Selkirk Ex Soldiers and British Legion Scotland helped pay for an additional camera to focus on the town's war memorial.

The system is scheduled to go live in mid May.