Agenda item

(A report by Emily Spicer, Assistant Director Wellbeing & Community Leadership)

The CCTV Manager presented the report supported by Inspector Cotton, the Community Safety Manager and the Assistant Director for Wellbeing and Community Neighbourhoods, confirming it was produced as part of its statutory Crime and Disorder annual review.  Committee were advised that Boston Borough Council’s public realm CCTV system consisted of digital high-definition CCTV cameras and CCTV control room equipment that covered Boston town centre, Kirton as well as other areas including Boston College, Pilgrim Hospital and Pescod Square.

The CCTV report provided a range of performance data for 2023/24 for members to review the data range of the review being from 01 April 2023 to 31st March 2024.   The Council also monitored cameras on behalf of NKDC, SHDC and ELDC, and therefore data related to these areas was also included within this report.  During 2023/24 the CCTV service had recorded 13,654 Daily Log entries, completed 955incident records, and contributed to 119 arrests for the Boston Borough Council area. Furthermore, it had contributed to 383 arrests for the total CCTV area, produced 148 CCTV Evidence Packages from the Boston Borough Council area for Police / Court use, and produced 450 pieces of evidence in total.

Referencing the CTV Policy which had become effective in December 2015, the CCTV Manager advised that in accordance with its own requirements, it had been reviewed by members of the Management Group and whilst only a few minor changes had been identified which were identified within the report, the amended version was subject to agreement by the Cabinet.  Furthermore, it was recommended that the policy be reviewed every three years and not on an annual basis.

Committee deliberation followed which included:

Responding to a query in respect of the colour coding within the reporting, the CCTV Manager confirmed that it had been that way since performance reporting had been monitored, and the reason helped to identify when decreases were recorded, if there were any issues in the operation of the suite.  When figures were up it was a positive performance in how the suite was working.

Following a question in respect of capacity to monitor additional cameras, the CCTV Manager confirmed that should the increase be significant, it would potentially require additional staffing, however the cameras recorded all the time, and it was impossible to monitor each camera 24 hours a day.  When an incident was reported then the recordings were a key source of data gathering and used for evidence.  Indeed, a significant part of the operatives’ roles was in the collation of evidence for the Police.

The volunteer scheme had resulted in 5 new operatives now supporting the staff and the cohort of the of the suite was appropriate.

Questioning ongoing issues of fly tipping in known hot spots of the town, a member sought clarification of the use of CCTV cameras on those sites to help identify the culprits. The Community Safety Manager advised that when an address was known it was possible to site a camera under RIPA providing the site was not blocked in any way, however the team worked with the Environmental department, as fly tipping was an environmental crime and such sites would be targeted through the enviro contract, which had been successful in its prosecutions.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.    That the Environment and Performance committee recommend to Cabinet, adoption of the Policy.