Could beach huts on our coast soon be protected by CCTV cameras?

A meeting, held on Thursday, June 30 at St Clement’s Church, Sutton on Sea, was attended by around 60 members of the public and 54 of those voted in favour of the town council pursuing an investigation into the feasibility of CCTV cameras. These would be placed at the promenade area of Sandilands, a prime spot for arson attacks in recent times.

Last week the Leader reported a number of arson attacks on the beach huts within just over a week, with two being completely burned to the ground.

And it appears the town council is ready to act decisively to ensure the attacks are not repeated in the future.

Ann Britz, Beach Hut Owners Assocation co-ordinator, told the Leader she was pleased that the council had organised the meeting and was hopeful of cameras being installed.

“We could really do with several cameras,” she said. “If anything they act as a deterrent, but I think the beach hut owners would feel much more secure.

“It would also be helpful to the police to catch those responsible.”

It is thought that for cameras to be installed there would need to be an agreement between the police, the East Lindsey District Council and Seven Towns Partnership.

There is also the issue of fundraising. The cameras could cost up to £40,000 with the need for a central control unit to manage the images and alert authorities.

A town council statement said: “At this early stage it is not possible to define the exact site, this is dependant upon agreement with ELDC and the police to maximise the benefits.

“The town council is also to look at what funding there may be available to alleviate the costs and discussions will continue on this topic.”

l How important do you think the CCTV cameras are to preventing future arson attacks? Email [email protected] .