Wednesday, 11 February 2009

CCTV cameras Ashton town centre

As was reported on this blog in December the new Christmas tree was vandalised not long after the lights were switched on.

Naturally I was very disappointed that a) someone would want to destroy something that should give pleasure to many people and b) the fact that no-one was prosecuted for that act of vandalism despite it happening in the middle of the town centre in a spot where the CCTV cameras could have been used to identify the culprits.

Since then I have visited Central Watch where all the images from the CCTV cameras can be seen from across the Borough. I have also been photographed by the CCTV cameras in Ashton town centre to find out for myself what the quality of the pictures taken at night time is like.

As a result of the above I have suggested that the following steps are taken for next year.

1. Central Watch will be notified well in advance of the switch on and I will be asking for constant monitoring of the tree using the moving camera. The reason for this is my picture taken from the moving camera was extremely clear and I was easily identifiable but the picture taken from the static camera was not so clear:

2.I have requested the lighting in front of the library to be upgraded.

I hope these two measures will prevent a repeat of last year's unfortunate occurrence.

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