Issue - meetings

The Chairman reminded Members that this item followed an initial presentation from the CCTV and Lifeline Manager at the meeting held in December 2012, when Members had asked for sight of the CCTV Code of Practice.

The CCTV and Lifeline Manager informed Members that the Code of Practice contained the overriding principals as to how the CCTV scheme was operated in Bromsgrove.   The Code of Practice was due to be refreshed following new legislation, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the appointment of a Surveillance Camera Commissioner.  The Council would also need to be accredited to British Standards for CCTV, the CCTV and Lifeline Manager was confident that this could be achieved.  The legislation would also require a review of the camera scheme, to ensure that they were in the correct position and did not infringe on peoples right to privacy.  A review of this kind had not been carried out since the inception of the CCTV scheme.

The CCTV and Lifeline Manager informed the Board that following the last meeting, when Members had discussed public relations and positive feedback from the Police, she had made enquiries and been provided with details of an incident in Bromsgrove, which had lead to the use of CCTV footage providing evidence in order to secure convictions.  The Community Safety Analyst had also been contacted and was currently working on providing data which would show the positive use of CCTV.

Members discussed the following areas in detail:

• The effect on and cost to Bromsgrove Police by moving the CCTV centre to Redditch.
• The cost effectiveness of moving the CCTV Centre to Redditch (the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources to provide details for Members).
• Any financial contribution to the CCTV scheme from the Police.
• The cameras at Bromsgrove Railway Station and any changes that would be made following the upgrade of the Station.
• Number plate recognition cameras – the CCTV and Lifeline Manager confirmed that although the Police used our “poles” for these cameras and some of the cables, the CCTV Team had no involvement with the use of these particular cameras.

RESOLVED that, when available, a report on the revised Code of Practice be presented to the Board for consideration and comment.