Police refuse to help fund Ribble Valley CCTV

It has emerged that Lancashire Constabulary chiefs were asked several times for financial assistance by Ribble Valley Borough Council.

However, the requests were rebuked despite police describing the system as 'a valuable tool in supporting the work of the police in Ribble Valley and in Lancashire as a whole'.

A report presented to the Community Services Committee states that Chief Superintendent Bob Eastwood 'made it very clear that Lancashire Constabulary would neither take over the management, maintenance and operation of the Clitheroe and Whalley CCTV system nor contribute in any way to its running costs'.

In March this year, it was revealed that council bosses were considering closing down the borough's CCTV system due to 'increasing financial instability' in the current economic climate.

According to the report, police suggested that the council could consider relocating the monitoring service into Greenbank Police Station, Blackburn, to make savings.

But the report says: “The cameras cannot be integrated into the existing 100+ camera system there. Their installation is possible but only just in what is a cramped operation at present.

“And Clitheroe police would not have the same convenient access to the CCTV system as they do now, something that is highly valued locally.”

Charges for running the system, with 27 cameras in Clitheroe town centre, three in Whalley and five across the Bus and Rail Interchange, increased by more than £6,400 this year, from £165,680 to £172,090.

The CCTV, which was first installed in 1995 with seven black and white cameras operating in Castle Street and Market Place, came under threat as part of Ribble Valley Borough Council cost-cutting measures.

Two options for the future of CCTV are now being considered including, searching for a new contractor to run the system or discussing changes with the current system operator resulting in the Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Blackburn having one contract.