Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on the progress of the review of CCTV to date.

The Committee received a report providing an update on progress towards a review of CCTV systems operated by the Council. The report informed the Committee that officers had been working to document compliance with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, and provided specific updates with regard to town centres’ (streetscene) CCTV.

The following matters were considered with regard to streetscene CCTV:

a)            Date for transfer of monitoring to Reigate police station. The Committee was informed that it was hoped that the transfer of CCTV monitoring from Runnymede to Reigate would be completed by 1 April. This was dependant on the completion of physical cabling works by BT.

b)            Actions to mitigate short-term loss of monitoring. Officers would emphasise the need to complete works by 1 April to BT. However, if the transfer of monitoring could not be completed by 1 April, officers would seek a short-term extension of the monitoring contract at Runneymede, to cover the interim period. If Runnymede Council did not wish to accept such an extension, officers would seek alternative solutions, such as record-only management of footage.

c)            Agreement with Surrey Police regarding monitoring. The Committee was informed that Surrey Police would monitor the Council’s CCTV footage at no cost, and that the Council would continue to hold responsibility for maintenance and provision of cameras. The agreement enabled either party to exit if they so wished.

d)            Current use of footage from streetscene CCTV. The Committee noted that footage from the Council’s streetscene CCTV was currently utilised by Surrey Police and Surrey County Council Highways Service, but not by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council during the operation of its core functions.

e)            Contribution from Surrey County Council. The Committee noted that no response had yet been received from Surrey County Council with regard to provision of a financial contribution toward maintenance of the CCTV system, which was utilised by the Highways Service.

f)             Capacity for additional cameras. The Committee was informed that there would be capacity for additional streetscene cameras to be added in the future, but that in the current environment, it was highly unlikely that they would receive funding or approval.

 Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Noted that the streetscene CCTV service was proposed to be continued at the current levels of service, subject to agreement being reached on a range of issues.

(2)          Agreed to receive a further report at its meeting of 8 February 2018 reviewing compliance with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice.