Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council to '˜go it alone' with CCTV

Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea Town Council is taking steps to run the town's CCTV cameras itself after feeling they '˜weren't getting their money's worth' from East Lindsey District Council.
Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council want to run their own CCTV cameras. Stock Image.Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council want to run their own CCTV cameras. Stock Image.
Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council want to run their own CCTV cameras. Stock Image.

Councillors made the final decision after feeling continuous dissatisfaction at the poor service.

Town Mayor, Councillor Stephen Palmer, told the Leader that one of Mablethorpe’s ‘vital CCTV cameras’ in Victoria Road, has also been out of action since late 2015.

With this particular camera being out of action, two serious assaults have taken place on this same stretch of road within the last four weeks and no CCTV footage has been captured to assist Lincolnshire Police with their enquiries.

Coun Palmer said: “Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea Town Council has made the decision to go it alone with the CCTV as we are disappointed with the service given.

“The Town Council’s priority is to its residents, and feel we need better value for money and better reliability of the cameras.

“We need to take back the system in house, which is currently being run in Boston.”

Coun Palmer added the Town Council felt it had not received a good service and said “it isn’t acceptable anymore.”

He added: “The people of Mablethorpe and Sutton deserve better.”

Coun Graham Marsh, Deputy Leader of East Lindsey District Council and Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, said the camera which covers Victoria Road is sited on the Book in Hand pub on the High Street, and has not been operational for years following issues with the camera’s power supply.

He revealed a traffic light column was identified as a suitable alternative location for a camera, but required a different 
style of camera.

As a result, he said the district council had intended to replace the camera as part of their CCTV refurbishment programme - but was hit by a number of delays, principally as a result of BT needing to complete their works to upgrade the digital line infrastructure required for the system, 
and this upgrade finally began in January.

Coun Marsh added that £450,000 is planned to be invested in CCTV systems across the District.

He said in Mablethorpe, so far, the District Council has invested around £89,000 to upgrade the CCTV cameras owned by the Town Council and District Council from analogue to digital, providing greater image transfer speeds to the CCTV Control Room, clearer images and reduced line rental costs to BT.

Coun Marsh said: “When we came to citing the new camera on the traffic light column in Mablethorpe, further issues with power supply were identified and an electrician was due to visit to complete necessary works last week.

“However, we were informed by Mablethorpe Town Council they intend to withdraw from the CCTV Partnership.

“Given the uncertainty about the Town Council’s CCTV requirements, we are holding off completing outstanding works on the refurbishment of CCTV systems in town until their position is confirmed.”

l What are your thoughts on CCTV cameras in Mablethorpe and Sutton? Email your views to: [email protected].