Clippings (Dec 1997)Clippings (Dec 1997)by HEATHER BISHOP (T&A 10/12/97)
Shipley's long-awaited closed-circuit TV cameras will be up and running in the town centre by February say campaigners.
Work will start in the New Year despite the scheme costing more than organisers first hoped.
And supporters have defended the cameras against criticisms from a group who claim they don't stop crime and are an invasion of privacy. Shipley town centre manager Bob Parker said the work was back on track.
"There have been a few delays but now it's looking very positive. The work has gone out to tender and we should be appointing a contractor fairly soon," he said.
"More than half the cash pledges from local businesses have come in and the first instalment of funds from the Home Office. The scheme was originally anticipated at costing £130,000 but now it will be around £140,000. We're confident we can find the shortfall so it shouldn't be a problem."
There were celebrations earlier this year when the town secured £58,000 of Government funding for the project. The rest of the cash has come from donations from businesses, Bradford Council and Metro. Five colour cameras will be installed around the town including two in Market Square, one in Wellcroft, Westgate and Fox's Corner, and they will be monitored by council staff in Keighley.
But members of Bradford's 1 in 12 club say they will campaign against CCTV in Shipley. They claim that the cameras simply divert the crime elsewhere and there is no evidence that they actually stop crime.
Club member Matt Hannam said: "It's a way of spying on everyone and there's no conclusive evidence that it actually works.
"We want a proper large-scale survey done in Shipley to show that people want this and evidence to show it is a deterrent. There is an unwillingness to question CCTV now."
But Councillor Tony Miller (Lab Shipley East) said they had answered the criticisms and the effect of the CCTV will be carefully monitored in the town.
"The majority of people surveyed said in terms of personal safety and safety for retailers, they were overwhelmingly in favour of CCTV" he said.
"It is unfortunate that we do need CCTV but 1 do believe that it will make a difference to the crime rate in Shipley.
"These people have criticised security cameras, but they have offered no alternatives to the problem. If people haven't got anything to hide they shouldn't have any objections to CCTY"
The Home Office has appointed an independent advisor to look at the effect of CCTV in the town. He will compare the present crime figures with the figures after the cameras have been installed. Shipley will then be looked at alongside Pudsey - a town similar in size but without CCTV.
Shipley Police Inspector Nigel Cawthorne said: "We are very pleased that the security cameras will be in place by February and we hope that will be achieved. It's really a case of the sooner the better. CCTV is a proven deterrent throughout the country."
by OLWEN VASEY (T&A 22/12/97)
A leading councillor today promised an early review of the district's 'big brother' spy cameras after being accused of lack of consultation.
The 1 in 12 private members club, a political and social club based in Westgate, Bradford, described a previous pledge of consultation as a 'sham', following an announcement that closed circuit cameras would be up and running in Shipley town centre by February
Member Tony Grogan said: "We are appalled. They promised a comprehensive review of existing CCTV installations before installing further cameras."
Mike Quiggin, secretary of Bradford Trades Union Council, said he was also unhappy about the lack of talks.
"All we've been seeking is a proper evaluation of the existing schemes because there are real doubts as to their effectiveness, as well as concerns about privacy"
But Coun Jack Womersley, a member of the Council's community safety board, said there had been widespread consultation about CCTV as part of the meetings over the new community plan.
"They were attended by thousands of people who were in support of CCTV. The 1 in 12 club will have a chance to put their views then."
Bradford Council has said it wants to update the Bradford city centre system and swivel round existing road-side cameras which normally watch traffic. The Shipley scheme is back on track after numerous delays. It was originally costed as £130,000 but will now be £140,000.
Earlier this year the town secured £58,000 of Government funding for the project.
The rest of the cash has come from donations from businesses, Bradford Council and Metro.
T&A EDITORIAL (22/12/97)
The doubts being expressed over the effectiveness of CCTV, or the so-called "spy cameras", should not deter Bradford Council from going ahead with its plans to update the scheme in the city centre and continue with the installation of a camera system in Shipley
The 1 in 12 Club claims that there has been insufficient consultation and wants a review of the existing installations before any further cameras are introduced. And the secretary of Bradford Trades Union Council backs these reservations, adding to them concerns about privacy.
Councillor Womersley, a member of the Council's community safety board, points out that many of the people who attended meetings over the new community plan expressed themselves in favour of CCTV. How much more consultation do its opponents want?
It is understandable that some people should have reservations about having their movements monitored by cameras when they are in public places. But if they have nothing to hide, surely that loss of privacy is more than outweighed by the increased sense of security which comes with CCTV.
These systems do help in solving crime.
That has been proved time and again. The arrests of the boys who took little Jamie Bulger to his death, for instance, was greatly helped by images captured on camera. And the presence of cameras has been shown to deter burglars and vandals.
In an ideal world there would be no need for CCTV. However, in the real world, on balance it has already proved its worth in the fight against crime.
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