CCTV and community safety
The Council’s CCTV system provides surveillance of the public realm and is currently monitored by Surrey Police.
Alternative public realm surveillance
Since we started installing cameras 25 years ago, there has been a significant rise in the number of privately owned CCTV cameras and mobile recording devices, such as smartphones and dashcams.
The CCTV cameras owned by individuals and businesses are used to protect their assets but many also provide alternative public realm surveillance, particularly in town centres.
Most images now used by Surrey Police are from mobile phones, dashcam footage and privately owned CCTV. They expect the use of footage recorded by the public and businesses to continue to outpace public realm CCTV in its investigations.
Changes to our CCTV
On 17 December 2020, the Council’s Executive agreed proposals to modernise the Council’s CCTV system.
Using data and information from Surrey Police, our out of date CCTV will be upgraded in the places where it provides a clear community safety benefit and there is little or no surveillance from privately owned CCTV. These are:
- Priory Park, Memorial Park and Lady Neville Park
- Bancroft Road and Clarendon Road multi-storey car parks
The new cameras will record images that can be reviewed when needed.
All remaining cameras and infrastructure will be de-commissioned during 2022. This includes cameras in town centre areas, where there has been a huge rise in privately owned CCTV.
How the decision was made
The Council reviewed the role of its CCTV system in supporting community safety in response to the Surrey Police ‘Surrey Open Space CCTV Strategy 2017-2022’, which requests local authorities take over responsibility for provision and monitoring of CCTV in the borough.
The proposals to modernise the CCTV system in key locations and decommission the remaining cameras and infrastructure were based on the review, as well as data and insight from Surrey Police.
What happens next?
Upgrades to cameras in our parks and car parks will take place during 2022, with more information to follow.
We have given notice for the cameras that will be decommissioned to be disconnected this summer, The cameras, fittings and fixtures will then be removed.
Further information
CCTV surveillance is one part of our Community Safety work. Find out more about: