The future of Oswestry’s award-winning CCTV system could become clearer following talks which are due to take place at a meeting tonight.

The decade-old camera system, one of the biggest, volunteer-run CCTV projects in Britain, desperately needs renewing.

Shropshire Council, which is carrying out a review of surveillance cameras across the county, has been invited to tonight’s meeting of Oswestry Town Council to discuss the future of the town’s system and its funding and resources.

Town councillors are hoping the unitary authority will be able to offer support for cameras in Oswestry.

The future of Oswestry’s award-winning CCTV system could become clearer following talks which are due to take place at a meeting tonight.

The decade-old camera system, one of the biggest, volunteer-run CCTV projects in Britain, desperately needs renewing.

Shropshire Council, which is carrying out a review of surveillance cameras across the county, has been invited to tonight’s meeting of Oswestry Town Council to discuss the future of the town’s system and its funding and resources.

Town councillors are hoping the unitary authority will be able to offer support for cameras in Oswestry.

Earlier this year the volunteer scheme launched a major fundraising campaign urging businesses to donate £1 per week to help bring the CCTV system up to date. But the scheme has not yet brought in enough funds to look at replacing the system.

Oswestry CCTV went live in 2001 after Oswestry Town Council offered to pay for the CCTV system, costing in excess of £112,000.

Running costs of £18,000 needed to fund the system for five years were raised by businesses and the public.

Scheme co-ordinator Amanda McGregor said: “Oswestry Volunteer CCTV is one of a handful of public CCTV schemes in the country using volunteer operators. It is, however, the only one with such large numbers of volunteers giving up their valuable time with no reimbursement and has often been named as the most successful volunteer-run CCTV scheme in the country.”