Witney News - CCTV arrives in Carterton

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CCTV arrives in Carterton

This week residents, local businesses and visitors to Carterton will feel even safer with the introduction of CCTV to the town centre.

Four CCTV cameras have been placed at selected locations around the town to provide the widest coverage possible. One of the cameras is ‘deployable’ so it can be moved from place to place if required.

Two cameras are on Black Bourton Road (one outside the Co-op and one at the junction with Milestone Road), one camera is at The Precinct in the town centre and another in Alvescot Road car park which also covers the recreation ground.

Since it was introduced to Witney in 2001 CCTV has helped to stop incidents escalating as well as assisting in over 1,700 arrests and providing evidence for police investigations and prosecutions.

Cllr Verena Hunt, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at West Oxfordshire District Council said: “We are delighted to be expanding the network to Carterton and are confident that the new system will improve public safety. West Oxfordshire is a low crime area and we have seen how successful CCTV has been in Witney - we expect a similar effect for Carterton.”

The new cameras will be monitored by the CCTV control room at Witney. In addition nine premises including the Co-op, the Beehive and the Aviator, will have a direct link to the control room and will be linking up together via a radio system so that they can forewarn each other of incidents as they occur.

Carterton Town Mayor, Cllr Norman MacRae said: “CCTV is a useful tool and armoury for crime prevention and aiding the public. Carterton Town Council looks forward to the introduction of this system.”

Carterton Neighbourhood Inspector Mark Johns said: “CCTV acts as a deterrent and also provides reassurance to the community. In addition, there is lots of work taking place to reduce anti-social behaviour, including high visibility police patrols, seizures of alcohol from underage persons and close working with licensed premises and late night refreshment establishments to crackdown on alcohol-related incidents in the town. The introduction of CCTV should increase public confidence and demonstrate that local councils and the police are taking positive steps to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.”

In November 2009 a community engagement survey in Carterton showed that 80% of people feel safe walking around the area. Figures from the National Policing Improvement Agency also show that anti-social behaviour fell by 1.6% in the same three months (Sep-Nov) from 2008 compared to 2009. The local Neighbourhood Action Group also helps to tackle anti-social behaviour by organising clean up days and local activities for youngsters.

Partnership working and joint funding has made the new Carterton CCTV system possible. West Oxfordshire District Council is paying £80,000 to install the cameras while the annual operational costs will be met by contributions from the Town Council, RAF Brize Norton, West Oxfordshire District Council, and Thames Valley Police.

The latest figures released by the police show that crime is on the decline in West Oxfordshire, having fallen 7 per cent in the last year.

Posted : 02/06/2010 22:41:51

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