Moving on

The comments from Mr Renard on the arrival (after a summer trial) of talking cctv cameras in the Railway Village are not the most ecstatic endorsement.

The residents of the Railway Village told us there were problems there. That’s why this is going in there. When we told them we had these mobile cameras which talked to people, the residents were keen. The police certainly find them very useful in gathering evidence for bringing people to book. There is a question about if the cameras just move people from one area to another. But what they do is allow us to identify perpetrators of crime and work with the police to deal with them. I feel that they will make a difference. The mobile camera in Welcombe Avenue produced results, there’s nothing to think these won’t.

It may not be significant expenditure at only £15,000, but I’m sure I’ve heard councillors condemn similarly priced spending plans with stronger cases than that.