Archive - Saturday, 12 October 2002


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Ryedale CCTV switch-off warning

CRIME-busting security cameras in Ryedale will be switched off next year unless North Yorkshire Police agree to continue monitoring the system.

That is the stark warning from district councillors, following an extensive public consultation with residents in Malton, Norton and Pickering, to decide the future of CCTV in the towns.

A meeting of Ryedale District Council's policy and resources committee heard that although Malton-based Inspector Neil Burnett says he has the resources to continue monitoring the £200,000 system, senior police officials have said this must cease.

Coun Debbie Aubrook said: "Inspector Burnett said it (CCTV) is the hammer in their tool box and he would be very sorry to see it go.

"But he has been told by the Chief Constable that he can't carry on monitoring it, and in my mind that is absolutely appalling."

She said the public needed to show more support if they were to keep the system.

"We only received three letters in support of the CCTV system, we had very low attendance at the public meetings, we had no phone calls and no emails," she added.

Coun Keith Knaggs said: "The monitoring is quite clearly police business. I attach great importance to what Insp Burnett says. He is the man in the front line.

"I don't wish it to appear that the police and the council are at loggerheads. I am sure at local level we are not. I think we should send out this clear signal that we are prepared to turn that equipment off if that is what the police are saying to us."

Chief executive Harold Mosley said the issue would be raised directly with new Chief Constable Della Cannings when he and the council leader Coun Alan Farnaby meet her next month.

Members voted unanimously to cease maintaining the CCTV system on March 31, 2003, unless satisfactory monitoring arrangements were agreed.

Geoff Rennie, chairman of the Ryedale Cameras In Action committee, said: "We will write to the Chief Constable to tell her of our disappointment, and to say we think it is quite unacceptable that we should lose a facility which is so obviously beneficial to Malton and Pickering."

Eastern Area Operations Commander Superintendent Dave Short said: "The response from Ryedale District Council is something we will have to take back and debate to see what the position is."

Updated: 12:18 Saturday, October 12, 2002