Once again, having previously given their voters the choice as to whether or not to have more CCTV in the first place (they voted no), Wycombe District Council shows the way on CCTV. Over at the Bucks Free Press, this announcement –
The Wycombe CCTV Lay Panel will present its annual report to the district council on February 15 and there will be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions.
The voluntary body monitors the use of CCTV to ensure that it is used appropriately and advise Wycombe District Council.
The meeting starts at 7pm in the main council chamber at Wycombe Town Hall.
Wycombe is to be commended for the initiative. If we have to have these cameras, we should at least be able to analyse their success or lack of it. I recently made the point that decisions to install CCTV on our streets are taken by relatively few people on a local council, usually without any scrutiny (and our CCTV report was an attempt to improve that). Well, having asked their voters about whether they wanted them, here's Wycombe opening up the process of how they're monitored.
Why don't more authorities allow people a say like this?
And if you're attending the meeting on 15 February, let us know what happens..!
By Alex Deane