Oswestry’s CCTV cameras are not used to investigate low level crime in the town, a top councillor has said.
Oswestry Borough Council leader, Councillor David Lloyd, says the cameras, part paid for by the council, are seen as a friend and not an intruder.
It follows national concern that CCTV cameras are being used for low level crime, including to prosecute people for littering and allowing their dogs to foul the streets.
The volunteer-run CCTV system in Oswestry is regarded as among the best of its kind in Britain.
It was set up seven years ago with 11 cameras paid for by the town council and has since extended throughout Oswestry and into Gobowen.
Police say the system has helped reduce crime.
Councillor Lloyd said he had received a letter from Sir Simon Milton, the chairman of the Local Government Association, expressing concern at the negative and grossly inaccurate claims of councils misusing surveillance powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.
The letter had also raised questions about the degree to which the public was under surveillance via CCTV. Councillor Lloyd said: “Oswestry Borough Council does not use such powers.
“It appears that in this area CCTV is seen as a friend and not an intruder. The public values the way volunteers operate the system,” he added.
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24 Comments
What’s the betting if a councillors car was broken into somebody would be sent to check it out to identify the perps? Low level crime occurs when it doesn’t happen to you….
“Councillor Lloyd said he had received a letter from Sir Simon Milton, the chairman of the Local Government Association, expressing concern at the negative and grossly inaccurate claims of councils misusing surveillance powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.”
Negative and grossly inaccurate? How exactly? What he should have said is that he is deeply embarassed that councils’ misuse of these poweres has been uncovered.
I really would like to believe the councillors and the government of the day,but I don’t!I really believe that is a form of social control,If they really want to make the streets a safer place, then put more coppers on the beat. Instead of employing some jobs worth walking around checking if your dog has fouled in the park or to see if you have put the correct rubbish in the rite bin
Whilst law abiding, and scrupulously honest people who REALLY want to see a better society for all get hounded by authority …. just to see if we transgress even the most minor “rule” (e.g: canoeist gets arrested for paddling his canoe in river etc) ….. The REAL criminals get away with it, ….
Look at the news… knife culture on the increase.. ANOTHER young person murdered … so HOW are cameras going to stop that ?
Look at the the headline news on the Daily mail today……
“Fed up with Britain .. Emigrate to Canada”
If I was young enough - I would be off like a shot. This country is becoming far too much like a police state, with every aspect of your life being spied upon, either by camera, or by authorities abusing powers to spy on your emails etc (It wouldn’t suprise me if this communication is being monitored too!
it has GOT TO STOP, NOW.
Hear hear good for the council - we need more CCTV not less - cctv works it saves lives and deters crime
In reply to darren H “CCTV deters crime and safes lives” I’m sorry if I sound as if I have just arrived from another plant But I seem to hear every time I put the news on,that knife crime is up and we live in a society where the elderly are to afraid to go out at night in case of getting mugged,and please go tell the 26 bike riders that have lost there lives on the North Wales roads in the last 18 months, where were the camera’s then. I will tell you where they were, hiding in a horse box. Please don’t make me laugh. The reason the camera’s are there,is to spy and make money not to safe lives and and reduce crime.
How can ad think the government SPY on us? Are you mad ? We’re not living in some sci fi world this its a 21st century democracy - get a grip! CCTV is a useful tool and with checks and balances of course, it should be used where appropriate alongside a package of tools to fight crime. I agree perhaps we have come to over rely on it and assume a camera along will fight crime but they are VERY neccessary, Very effective and very welcome for me at least. In fact I wish the COuncil would use them to tackle ”low level crime” like litter, its not low level to me, its a priority to tackle with all the tools in the arsenal including cctv
Use CCTV to tackle antisocial behaviour
If your doing nothing wrong you need not fear CCTV
I would have it in every street in the UK.
It could also be used for small crimes such as litter dropping
Phil is that so you could spy on your neighbour?
“If you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to fear …..”
Oh….. how that displays a worrying:
“absolute trust in authority”….
Im afraid the great “university of life” teaches you otherwise Phil.
So you drop some litter
(even accidentally … and the “accidentally” fact WONT be picked/detected/ given due consideration etc by the camera and so you get “nicked”)
Oh honestly !!! … come on ….. is that such a crime - is THAT what you want cameras for, ……. whilst REAL crime goes on - like the poor guy knifed (sorry MURDERED) the other day?
On the contrary - we have EVERYTHING to fear, becuase as the surveillance culture grows, the MORE serious crime will grow - and
….. the MORE ordinary people like most of us (and me) will feel increasingly threatened and intimidated by over zealous and petty authority that will do nothing to restore proper law and order.
Cameras are NOT a replacement for proper and intelligent policing.
regards
askeric dotcom
who watches the watchers?
How do we know what they view on CCTV?
How do you know that the cameras are not pointed into your house for the amusement of the watcher?
Police states begin with “if you have done nothing wrong you need not fear the police, the CCTV, the neighbourhood informer, the snoop the snitch.
So long as you toe the line and think the approved thoughts you have nothing to be afraid of.
Big Brother will watch over you.
I don’t need to spy on my neighbour
He’s a creature of habit
Collect benefits money
Off to the betting shop am
down the pub PM
Repeat each day of the week.
Going back to the point CCYV would be used for major crimes and minor crimes - once the crimes are eliminated in say 10 - 15 years CCTV can be phased out.
But with the amount of stabbings/crime in the world today - CCTV is a weapon we need to use to protect everyone
In response to D.peeroo, no sir not mad, quite sane. Tell me how do you account for all the comments above that the overwellming majority believe that your so-called 21st century democracy is becoming a police run state.
How is it that your 21st century democracy tore up the magna carta in allowing persons to be held in custody for up to 48 days without charge? how is it that you or I can be stopped and searched with out committing a crime.
One of two principles of democracy is that all members enjoy universally recognised freedoms and liberties. How then is that happening in your so called 21st century democracy? No sir not Mad, quite understanding of what is going on around me.
Oh boy, this conversation is full of trolls.
The governent cant fix things on their own - youth violence, poverty and greed are all products of the kind of society we are in. The press, television and advertisers need to begin to take responsibility for the language they use - the ‘norms’ they portray and look beyond the profit - guys you really stop stereotyping people (and then getting mileage out of stories which talk about not stereotyping. Yuong people are more influenced by media - you sow - and society reaps the horridness we have in SOME places now.
I think cctv just moves crime not stop it, muggers will just go to the next alley along where there is no cctv
10 to 15 years Whats that all about!! as long as man has got freewill he will commit crime to the end of time no matter how many cameras the government put up to stop it crime will always be with us.
OH BOY! you always get one who can’t stand other people’s point of view and have to sit behind there screen and call names (trolls) ye you know who you are if its too hot in the kitchen then get out, put up or shut up!
Just inject a little simple maths and practicality to this….
If there are so many cameras, watching 24 hours a day, on every street, on every corner (…cos that’s where it seems to be going..)
Then, how is is possible to “replay” all that data “reliably” to find so called “evidence” of a crime (more dastardly than dropping litter I hope!)
Surely the only way this can be done is to fast forward through this vast amount of CCTV evidence - and probably miss the most important parts in the process. (either that or have a vast army of “voyeurs”)
Surely this is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack
As a Classic example …..We have had police calling at our work premises after local incidents, to look at our CCTV recordings for possible evidence , and they’ve always given up after a few hours of looking at a TV screen of high quality digital images .. and gone home unrewarded - after admitting that it was unlikely that they would have found anything anyway on the CCTV footage.
Yes - its fine maybe ….. if a CCTV operator actually SEES a crime being committed on camera, …. but what then …. er ….. call the police? …. who should be already there ….. on the beat?
Proper policing, getting to REALLY know the local populace, who goes where, who are the local “characters” - and just genrally knowing who’s who is what is needed.
Ask yourself - if YOU spent all day, EVERY day, walking around town, speaking to people, visitng shops, business, generally being observant …. generally being “there” …..how long would it be before you had more than a good idea what was going on ??
Closed Circuit TeleVision (CCTV … just in case anyone doesn’t know what CCTV stands for) - can NEVER achieve that !
This is getting away from the thrust of the debate, its not about civil liberties, its about practical modus operandi for policing, clearly ask any copper, cctv works and is neccessary, but on its own its useless, it needs to be combined with more police, better trained police, more neighbourhood watch schemes, a national DNA register and other such practical crime fighting tools, regardless of waht that bonkers tory david davis might think
Having had by bicycle stolen twice last year from shrewsbury area, i would welcome more cctv on bike racks, like they protect car parks, sometimes advanced racers and mountain bikes can be worth several grand whilst an old car could be only a few hundred, so please lets have more cctv and more secure bicycle storage areas around shrewsbury!
I wouldnt a bike costing 7K to shrewsbury station!!
If i had to commute and lock up bike - I’d buy cheapest, tackiest bike possible and park it there.
Shrewsbury is one of the biggest crime area;s in Shropshire
Sorry Divid eNT
But it IS also about civil liberties
(notice the word “also”
I do NOT WANT TO BE photogaphed, videod , DNA’d, my emails spied on, my web browsing habits recorded, and generally made to feel like a lowest of the low criminal, when I am in fact a totally and utterly respectable member of society.
Surely … Shouldn’t the collective voice of the most “respectful” members of society have the most say on this?? -
Why aren’t “elder members of society - like me ” with long experience of life being asked our opinion?
As I’ve said earlier, this has all got to STOP.
It is getting out of hand.
LOOK at the news today - A most grotesque murder in london - French people labelling Us as a dustbin culture.
And if you read my post -we did ask “a copper” as you put it - several “Constables” in fact - and their colective view I’m afraid was totally different !! CCTV not much use !
And again … it has GOT TO STOP .. NOW
askeric dotcom If you have nothing to hide then why are you so worried?
Unless you have something to hide.
CCTV, phone tapping, emails tapping will only catch crimimals
NOT innocent people.
I say bring everything in - we have the technology to protect everyone in this country - why not use it
good on the cllr, this is the correct approach, do please use cctv more to catch real crime like murder but NOT to snoop on little stuff like smokers and litter, graffiti and shoplifting and such minor things, if i want to put rubbish in the recycling or recycling in the landfill or drop litter in the street then i will who are they to dare try and stop me