ST HELENS Council is celebrating news that its bid to carry out £90,000 worth of new safety schemes, involving close circuit television, has been approved beating hundreds of other contenders.

The Home Office money will be used to put CCTV in four new areas - at St Thomas' Square and the Peasley View estates; the new Foyer on Sherdley Road which is providing 32 flats for single people; and the former Pilkington head office in Canal Street which will cater for eight small business units and 42 self-contained flats.

The bid was put together by St Helens Community Safety District Executive which is chaired by council leader, Dave Watts.

Says Councillor Watts: "Safety initiatives are foremost in the authority's policies and many security schemes have already been built-in, literally, in many new housing and estate refurbishment packages. This also includes new locks and doors for our most vulnerable members of the community. This latest funding will provide peace of mind for many of our residents."

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