Report reveals councils spent £314m on CCTV over four years
The use of CCTV by local authorities has been thrown into the spotlight after campaign group Big Brother Watch released a report suggesting councils spent £314m on installing and operating cameras between 2007 and 2010.
Big Brother Watch worked out the expenditure after submitting Freedom of Information requests to all local authorities. It received 336 responses.
The group also named the ten councils to have spent the most on CCTV during the relevant period. They were:
- Birmingham (£10.5m)
- Sandwell (£5.4m)
- Leeds (£3.8m)
- City of Edinburgh (£3.6m)
- Hounslow (£3.5m)
- Lambeth (£3.4m)
- Manchester (£3.3m)
- Enfield (£3.1m)
- Barnet (£3.1m)
- Barking and Dagenham (£3.1m).
Big Brother Watch Director Alex Deane claimed the total expenditure was “shocking”. He said: “Public money is being wasted on snooping surveillance that does next to nothing to prevent or solve crime. We are being watched more than ever before, and we’re being ripped off into the bargain. British taxpayers will be scandalised to see their money being thrown away like this in the current economic climate.”
Cllr Mehboob Khan, chair of the Local Government Association’s safer and stronger communities programme board, defended councils’ use of CCTV.
He said: “Everyone wants to feel safe in their communities and the effective use of CCTV can play a key part in this. Whether it’s tracking down a thug who brutally mugged an old lady, a vandal who trashed a war memorial or a gang who ram-raided a newsagents, CCTV plays a crucial role in tracking down offenders. Without it, many law-breakers would have got away with their crimes.
“CCTV is also an important tool in convicting criminals, sparing witnesses from being cross-examined and saving court time and costs. It was footage from such cameras which helped bring the failed 21 July London bombers to justice.”
Cllr Khan added that town halls do not install cameras “on a whim”, but consult with residents, businesses and police on whether CCTV is appropriate in an area.
“In many instances councils are responding to requests from these groups,” he said. “As well as serious crimes like burglary, it has also proven effective in reducing antisocial behaviour on our streets, a key factor in whether people feel safe and comfortable in their communities.
“In tough financial times, councils are not going to spend money on installing CCTV cameras unless they genuinely believe they work."
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