An Isle of Wight town is getting a new £3,000 CCTV camera, in an effort to curb the rise in anti-social behaviour.
The 360º camera will replace the out-dated CCTV at the multi-use games area and skatepark, off School Green Road, in Freshwater.
Increase in anti-social behaviour
It comes as a councillor says the youth shelter next to the skatepark has become a ‘drug-dealing area’.
In recent months, the area has seen an increase in anti-social behaviour, with reports of broken glass, graffiti and damage to public property.
Approved by Parish Council
The work was approved by Freshwater Parish Council at its meeting on Tuesday and will cost the authority £3,070.
A new electric box will also be installed as the current one has been vandalised.
Plans to remove shelter
The camera will cover the whole area, including the youth shelter although the covered seating area could soon be removed.
At its meeting, the parish council voted to remove the shelter after a request was made from a local primary school for one.
Councillors decided to offer the school the one currently by the skatepark and if they, or any other interested parties, didn’t want it, it would be scrapped.
Objection to the plans
Not all councillors were in favour, with one saying they did not see why they had to get rid of it.
The parish council is in the process of providing a new purpose-built pump track and skate park and was advised by the designers to remove the youth shelter due to the anti-social behaviour it is associated with.
Kennett: Youth shelter has become a drug dealing area
Councillor Gill Kennett, the council’s chair, said when the skatepark was installed some 20 years ago it was thought it would be helpful to have a youth shelter by the side.
Cllr Kennett said,
“Instead of it being somewhere to hang out, the youth shelter has become a drug dealing area and has been very battered as well.”
Deemed a medium safety risk
In a recent inspection, due to damage the youth shelter was deemed a medium safety risk by the Royal Society of Prevention of Accidents.
The new camera system could be installed in the next week.
The parish council also approved its updated CCTV policy, which ensures cameras are positioned so it covers council areas and prominent signage is in place to advise of the cameras.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: brock wegner under CC BY 2.0
