The South Glos Post

Local campaigners have revealed that a new CCTV system in Cadbury Heath has helped cut local crime by a whopping 25 per cent.

Funded by South Gloucestershire Council, two new state-of-the-art cameras on School Road and Newton Road were switched on in September 2009, after campaigners called for action to tackle numerous incidences of anti-social behaviour and other more serious forms of crime, which have occurred locally over the years.

Figures obtained from the council by local campaigner, Chris Skidmore, and the area’s councillors show that overall crime levels on the Parkwall police beat, which includes Cadbury Heath, is 25 per cent lower in the 3 months Sep-Nov 09 than the same 3 months in 2008 before the cameras were installed.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Local councillors have welcomed the switching on of a CCTV system to monitor an anti-social behaviour hotspot in Cadbury Heath, South Gloucestershire.

Funded by South Gloucestershire Council, the two new state-of-the-art cameras have been erected on School Road and Newton Road, after calls from the local community for action to tackle numerous incidences of anti-social behaviour and other more serious forms of crime, which have occurred locally over the years.

The School Road area, in particular, hit the headlines in 2007 when two men blew up a phone box using firework explosives. They were later jailed.

Local traders and residents, including the elderly residents of the nearby Alfred Lovell Gardens elderly people’s home, have regularly been the victims of anti-social behaviour in the School Road and Newton Road areas.

Despite being operational for a matter of days, the new cameras, which are monitored round the clock, have already caught an incident of three teenagers scaling the roof of the Cadbury Heath Hall on School Road with one of the group recorded attempting to break a roof window.

In a joint statement, Tony Olpin and Nick Barrett, Conservative councillors for the Parkwall ward that includes Cadbury Heath, said:

“Crime and anti-social behaviour have blighted the lives of many of our local traders and residents, including those who are vulnerable and elderly, and so we have been pushing strongly for action to address people’s fears.

In the short time the cameras have been switched on, an incident involving several youths climbing onto the roof of Cadbury Heath Hall has already been recorded meaning that the police can more easily identify the perpetrators and deal with them effectively.

We welcome the installation of these quality, state-of-the-art cameras because the more effective tackling of crime and anti-social behaviour that will come through their use will hopefully transform local people’s quality of life and help them to feel safer and be safer.”

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Residents of South Gloucestershire will be even safer as a result of the opening of an extended CCTV service covering the district.

An official opening on 29 September marks the completion of an 18 month project to provide state-of-the-art CCTV equipment across South Gloucestershire.

Brand new equipment has been installed in key locations including Kingswood, Staple Hill, Chipping Sodbury, Hanham, Filton, Cadbury Heath, Patchway and Thornbury.

South Gloucestershire Council has invested £300,000 in the scheme with the remaining funding coming from the Home Office. In order to ensure available funding had the maximum impact, the council reached an agreement with Bristol City Council to monitor the cameras on its behalf.

Heather Goddard, executive member for communities for South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Local people have told us how important an improved CCTV service is to them, and I am delighted to see the effect of the council’s investment. Thanks to hard work by councillors, local communities, the police, council departments, town and parish councils, residents in South Gloucestershire will be safer in our towns.”

Chief Superintendent Andy Francis of Avon and Somerset Constabulary added: “South Gloucestershire is generally a safe place to be, but there are particular times and places, especially in our major towns, where extra effort is needed.

“This new equipment will help us to identify and respond quickly and appropriately to crime and anti-social behaviour, to make the public even safer.”

Commenting on the improved system, Rhodri Briggs, CCTV coordinator at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “This new equipment is the very latest available, and will provide the clearest pictures possible. Already over a dozen incidents have been defused using it, and the equipment will provide a noticeable improvement in the service we provide.”

Source: South Gloucestershire Council