MORE than a third of Vale residents believe there are not enough CCTV cameras in Wychavon, a survey has found.
The annual Viewpoint Survey quizzed a total of 990 residents on a number of issues ranging from how safe they feel outside in the district during the day and at night, as well as CCTV provision.
On the question of CCTV cameras in Wychavon, 36 per cent of 822 people who answered the question said they believe there are not enough CCTV cameras in the district.
Just four per cent said there were too many cameras and 19 per cent of respondents said Wychavon had the right amount of CCTV.
The results of the survey will feed into Wychavon’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s major review of CCTV provision across Evesham and Pershore which kicked off last month.
Wychavon currently has 31 cameras positioned across the district, with two in Broadway, 12 in Evesham and nine in Pershore.
A central control room for receiving, monitoring and recording of images is based at the council’s Pershore headquarters, and it is operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Footage is regularly requested by West Mercia Police to help with both investigations and active incidents and more than 800 such requests were made in 2016.
The Viewpoint Survey found that 71 per cent of residents feel safer as a result of clearly visible CCTV cameras and 76 per cent think that CCTV cameras help to reduce crime.
It also found 95 per cent of residents feel safe in the district during the day, however this fell to 75 per cent at night.
Speaking to the Observer, Coun Charlie Homer, who is a member of Wychavon’s CCTV Review Team, said the council’s review will take a few more months and no decisions on the provision of CCTV have yet been made.
“At the moment nothing is being ruled out,” he said.
“I think that it’s a really good thing to do. Its not about cutting services, it’s about making them better.
“The review will look at the location of CCTV cameras and to make sure we’re using the latest and best technology.
“This data will definitely feed into the review we are carrying out.
“Personally, I would like to see the council’s CCTV provision continue and I think there is support for that as well.”
