'Bring back CCTV' - Monmouth petition plea (From South Wales Argus)

'Bring back CCTV' - Monmouth petition plea

10:36am Tuesday 5th May 2009

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MORE than 1,000 people are backing a campaign to get Monmouth town centre's CCTV reinstated.

Shoppers are supporting the plea from Monmouth district chamber of trade and commerce to bring back the six cameras after they were controversially taken down last year.

The cameras were removed when Monmouth Town Council voted to opt out of the scheme, run by the Monmouthshire CCTV partnership.

The scheme, which also operates successfully in Abergavenny, Caldicot and Chepstow, is part funded by Monmouthshire Council to the tune of £138,000.

Monmouth Town Council has to contribute £12,000 a year towards the running costs, which is around 12 percent of its £143,000 a year budget.

The cameras were removed following the decision in February last year.

Now the Monmouth district chamber of trade and commerce have handed the town council a 1,037-signature petition calling for them to be brought back.

Trader Brian Ramsey, secretary MDCTC said he is appalled that the town council has not formally acknowledged the petition.

"We hope the town council will now accept that the issue is not just the concern of traders and businesses in the town."

"In an effort to reach a compromise, the Chamber would be willing to commit a similar percentage of its budget to the cost," said Mr Ramsey.

"We believe this offer to be unique and it is conditional on progress being made on the issue by the town council by July."

Trader John Smith, of Agincourt Antiques said: "How can £5 million be spent on the Shire Hall and when there isn't £12,000 to spend on CCTV?"

"Should we (traders) put in £400 each a year and run it ourselves?" said Mr Smith.

Mr Smith says several windows have been vandalised in Church Street in the last five months and a shop assistant was threatened at Ladbrookes betting shop earlier this year.

He feels the cameras act as a deterrent.

Denise Jones, who owns the Hair and Beauty Studio on Monnow Street, is one of the driving forces behind the campaign after her premises were broken into four times during 2008.

"If CCTV was in operation it would have picked up the culprits in the vicinity," she said.

CCTV development officer for Monmouthshire community safety partnership, Chris Norman said: "Monmouthshire Council is looking to re-deploy the cameras between Chepstow, Caldicot and Abergavenny but if Monmouth elects to come back in the door is open," he added.

Despite repeated attempts to contact town councillors, no one was available for comment.

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