Petition details
CCTV to Protect Burdett Estate
Over the course of the last decade Burdett Estate has been subject to a high level of Crime which includes Knife Crime, ASB, Theft, Vandalism and Violence. Most recently there has been a huge spike in these issues within the local estate of Burdett and local residents, local organisations and local authorities have had enough. We would like to start this petition to work with the local authorities to provide us CCTV cameras to protect our way of life and to help local authorities bring those committing these crimes to Justice.
Please sign our petition to support our campaign to make Burdett a safer place to live.
This Petition ran from 11/08/2020 to 22/09/2020 and has now finished.
One person signed this Petition.
Council response
Dear Mr. Ahmed,
Petition – CCTV to protect Burdett Estate
Thank you for the petition you submitted to the Council on 11/08/2020 – my sincere apologies for the length of time it has taken to formally respond. I hope this response goes some way in explaining the current, situation and the future plans regarding CCTV coverage throughout the borough. And hopefully it explains the context for the considerations we need to take within the Council on this matter.
The current position
The Council already invests significant funding in a network of 350 cameras across the borough. The current locations of Public Space CCTV largely overlap with identified crime, ASB, graffiti and fly-tipping hotspots. In February 2019, we conducted a comprehensive review of the Council’s network of CCTV by analysing the current uses of CCTV, the locations of CCTV in relation to crime and the role played in reassuring residents. This is a public report.
The report found that whilst residents are very supportive of increased CCTV provision, and felt that it improves feelings of safety, we also found that there is limited evidence that CCTV is effective in stopping or preventing crime (particularly violent crime) from happening in the first place. There is, however, more evidence that CCTV is effective in detecting and investigating crime and bringing offenders to justice and is an important resource used in policing.
Future work
The Council has recently agreed an investment of £3 million to modernize the CCTV network in the borough. The capital investment will be used to upgrade the current network from outdated analogue to digital cameras. As part of this investment we are currently reviewing all existing camera locations. This review will also determine whether any new cameras should be installed, and we will ensure that the Burdett Estate petition and other CCTV requests and petitions from residents are carefully considered as part of that process. We hope to complete this review before the end of the calendar year. There are however a series of legal considerations in relation to public space CCTV that the Council must comply with.
Considerations
1. The council has a duty to comply with the 12 guiding principles of the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice:
• Principle 1 specifies that the use of a surveillance camera system must always be for a specified purpose which is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and necessary to meet an identified pressing need.
• Principle 2 specifies that the use of a surveillance
camera system must consider its effect on individuals and their
privacy, with regular reviews to ensure its use remains
justified.
Any new camera locations must have a clear business case that
evidences compliance with Principles 1 and 2. This is a delicate
balance and requires a balanced approach. Should Principles 1 and 2
(as defined above) be met, the following considerations will be
taken.
2. Any case for adding additional CCTV cameras to the network must be affordable within the Council’s capital and revenue budgets. Any additional cameras require capital and revenue funding for installation, maintenance and monitoring.
3. Ownership of the land and/or public highway is a critical consideration. The Burdett Estate is owned by Poplar Harca. Any potential installation of CCTV equipment would require prior permission, agreement and negotiation with Poplar Harca in relation to an identified budget and funding for installation and ongoing monitoring costs.
I hope that you find this response helpful in terms of outlining where we are now and the journey ahead in terms of improving CCTV provision, and in clarifying the types of considerations that govern the decision making.
Should you wish to discuss this response or have any queries about the details please contact Mr Peter Allnutt, CCTV Manager on 020 7364 0515 who will be pleased to assist.
I look forward to updating you on developments