Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Operations on the CCTV service.

Approved in principle the establishment of a shared CCTV service with Cambridgeshire City Council and authorised the Head of Operations, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, to approve the establishment of the shared service, based in Huntingdon, on the basis of a detailed business case.

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) summarising a proposal to establish a shared CCTV service with Cambridge City Council.  The report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) whose comments were relayed to the Cabinet.

Members’ attention was drawn to the issues involved in managing the service, the scope for achieving efficiency savings and the next steps to be taken to progress the proposal.  Having been advised of the updated financial implications of the proposal, Executive Councillors stressed the importance of including a detailed financial summary in future reports.

RESOLVED

(a)  that the establishment of a shared CCTV service with Cambridge City Council be approved in principle; and

(b)  that the Head of Operations be authorised, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, to approve the establishment of the shared service, based in Huntingdon, on the basis of a detailed business case.

To receive a report from the Head of Operations on the CCTV service.

20 Minutes.

By way of a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel gave consideration to a proposal to establish a joint CCTV shared service with Cambridge City Council. In introducing the report, the Head of Operations reported that the proposals would establish a single management structure from the CCTV Control Room at Eastfield House which was expected to generate around £200,000 of savings per year for each authority. Members noted that existing assets would remain the responsibility of the relevant authority but that the new body would be responsible for the monitoring of images.

In noting that there would be an opportunity to enable the service to generate income for the Council through commercial contracts and the use of wireless technology, a Member queried how resistant to jamming such a system would be. The Head of Operations confirmed that other authorities were effectively utilising similar technologies and that he was not aware of any cases of this happening. He then indicated that commercial contracts had not yet been pursued, but further work was being undertaken to determine how this might be done in the future.

Members expressed their concern over the financial implications for the Council of the transfer of staff from the City Council. In response, it was reported that detailed work had not yet been undertaken on this element of the proposals but that a number of safeguards had been built into discussions with the City Council in order to protect the District Council’s interests. Members nevertheless sought assurances that its true impact should be incorporated fully into the proposed business plan.

Following a question by a Member, the Panel discussed the structure of the service. Consultations with Trade Unions and other relevant bodies would be undertaken.

In noting that the CCTV Control Room at Eastfield House would need to be reconfigured as part of the proposals, the Head of Operations confirmed that there was sufficient capacity on site to undertake the necessary adaptive works. Future expansion of the service could also be accommodated.

Having expressed their support for the proposals, it was

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to approve in principle agreement for establishing a joint CCTV service with Cambridge City Council and to delegate authority to the Head of Operations, after consultation with the Executive Member for Healthy and Active Communities, to establish a shared service based in Huntingdon on the basis of a detailed business case.