RESIDENTS in Earby, Barnoldswick and Barrowford could benefit from a similar CCTV system as their neighbours if bids for funding are successful.

The Community Safety Partnership Steering Group asked for the council to give consideration to meeting the revenue costs for the schemes in the three areas. But members of the executive decided the funding should be secured first.

The schemes would include 12 cameras in Barnoldswick costing £276,000, six in Earby costing £138,000 and five in Barrowford costing £115,000.

Pendle Council currently meets the £109,000 revenue costs of monitoring 33 cameras in Colne, Nelson and Brierfield.

The additional 23 cameras would cost approximately £76,000 per year to monitor and keep in repair at current prices. It is not yet known when funding will be secured or when schemes will be operational.

Coun David Whipp suggested that the council should agree in principle to committing resources for revenue costs.

He said: "If opportunities come along for funding, one of the questions which will be asked will be 'How are you going to meet the revenue costs?' If we can't give a realistic response to that request we are going to be laughed out of court.

"We need to agree in principle that we will pick up the revenue tabs."

But the executive members went against his suggestion and voted in favour of the recommendation by executive director (services) John Kirk to consider the matter as a budget growth item once the capital funding to provide any or all of the schemes is secured.

The Liberal Democrat group, which currently only has one member on the executive - leader of the council Coun Alan Davies - has since submitted a letter to call in the decision.

If the call-in is agreed, the matter will come back to the next meeting of the executive.