Agenda item

The lead petitioner was in attendance and addressed the Cabinet Member highlighting the following points:

• The petitioner had lived on The Rise for 30+ years
• The area was becoming more dangerous
• The petitioner had been burgled twice, once in 2023 and once in 2024. On both occasions, the burglar had come via Dorset Way
• A neighbour had also been burgled in October last year
• The petitioner had twice had rocks thrown through her windows, which was a terrifying situation
• There were often stolen cars/ goods in the blind spots to Dorset Way. This had been reported on many occasions, with no action taken
• People exchanged drugs in broad daylight
• CCTV would deter crimes
• All houses approached in The Rise, Dorset Way, Devon Way and The Crossway (between the top of The Rise and The Crossway) had signed the petition, showing strong support

Councillor Adam Bennett was in attendance as Ward Councillor and made the following points:

• There was growing attendance at quarterly Ward Panel meetings with the Safer Neighbourhood team, with most attendees living in this area (Vine Lane, The Crossway, Devon Way, Dorset Way and The Rise). This was, in part, due to the area becoming a hotspot for crime
• Crimes often went unreported
• There was drug dealing in the area
• Having windows smashed would lead to considerable expense
• There had been a number of burglaries
• There had been three vehicle thefts in The Rise
• There was an abandoned property on Devon Way
• There was an HMO that had caused issues
• There were safety concerns, also considering the nearby Bishopshalt school
• While the statistics told one side of the story, the lived experience of residents also needed to be considered
• It was suggested that the situation could be reviewed in the coming months
• If funds were an issue, utilising the Ward Budget scheme could be investigated
• Additional street lighting could be considered
• 59 signatures for CCTV showed the volume of support

The Cabinet Member queried and officers noted that while CCTV cameras often pointed in one direction, there were different types of cameras that could cover different directions, though those came with associated differing costs.

The Cabinet Member noted the need to be proportionate, and that the report had noted that the threshold test had not been met. However, consideration needed to be given to the residents’ lived experience, as there appeared to be an issue developing in this area. It was acknowledged that crimes were sometimes not reported. The Cabinet Member noted the small response to officer site visits.

The Cabinet Member noted that he would defer a decision on implementing CCTV, to receive additional information. The Cabinet Member further noted the need to discuss with the Safer Neighbourhood Team and police about crime patterns. The petitioner would be written to thereafter.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Community & Environment:

1. Met with petitioners and listened to their request for a CCTV camera at the junction of The Rise, Devon Way and Dorset Way which could reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and increase feelings of safety in the location;

2. Noted the assessment carried out by Council officers on the potential viability of installing CCTV at this location and the likely effectiveness of those measures in achieving the benefits sought by petitioners; and

3. Deferred a decision on whether to instruct officers to proceed to install CCTV at the junction of The Rise, Devon Way and Dorset Way, to receive further information