FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE – 14 APRIL 2003
STRATEGIC
DEVELOPMENT OF CCTV ON THE ISLAND
Alistair Drain, Head of Select Committee & Best Value Support
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
This report was originally requested by the Fire and
Public Safety Select Committee on 16 December 2002, with more detailed
discussions at a meeting with portfolio holders on 22 January 2003. Depending on Members’ decisions certain
recommendations will be forwarded to a meeting of the Executive.
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
1. to recommend the principle of a purchaser / provider split
for CCTV (Crime & Disorder Manager/Wightcare Manager respectively).
2. to recommend an appropriate SLA be drawn up and agreed by
the two parties, incorporating the views of local forums, Shop Watch groups,
the Police and including performance targets.
3. to recommend that the CCTV provider role be considered as
part of the Council’s medium / long term GAGS (Great Access to Great Services)
agenda, but that it should remain within the Social Services and Housing
Directorate for the time being.
4. to recommend that Directors give urgent consideration to
finding the necessary funding to meet the identified shortfall in the CCTV
budget (£30,700 in 2003/4 and £44,200 thereafter), from within existing
resources.
5. to recommend that there should be no further investment in
CCTV on the Island without satisfying the IW Crime and Disorder Partnership’s
criteria.
BACKGROUND
Members
have been concerned for some time that the CCTV service was overspending and
this was inappropriately affecting the Social Services and Housing
Directorate’s budget. The Fire and Public Safety Select Committee requested
information on :
-
Where in the Council
should CCTV be positioned? Are there any benefits to outsourcing?
- Staffing levels to meet current demands and future expansion of the service
- Appropriate funding arrangements for existing and future requirements
- Criteria for a consistent business approach to the future development of CCTV
-
Implications of
extending the existing service to incorporate private monitoring of CCTV on a
commercial basis
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
IWC – Corporate Plan and Key Objectives
Best
Value Reviews on Crime & Disorder and CCTV (soon to be merged into one
report)
Isle
of Wight Council CCTV scheme Evaluation – 2001
Crime
& Disorder Strategy 2002 – 2005
CCTV
file – Crime & Disorder Office
Website
: www.iowcrime-disorder.org
CONSULTATION PROCESS
Local businesses, members of the public and visitors were interviewed by Itell Associates (independent assessors of CCTV service). MORI Citizens’ Panel were asked similar questions. Liberty has been consulted at a national level.
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
Financial : It should be noted that the CCTV service
is currently underfunded, partly due to the IWC’s inability to secure expected
funding. The revenue overspending in 2002/3 is estimated to be £30,000. To
adjust the revenue budget to avoid recurring overspending, an additional
£30,700 is needed in 2003/4 and a figure of £44,200 in 2004/5 and thereafter.
Legal : To ensure that future CCTV schemes are self-financing from external sources in future, legally-binding contracts will need to be drawn up. The legal position for the Council to trade with other private and public sector CCTV buyers would need to be explored. Any new growth bids for CCTV should be set against an agreed criteria that examines ‘crime hot spots’, risk management issues and ability to fund.
Crime & Disorder : Any changes to the current level of CCTV provision will have an effect on the levels of crime & disorder in the areas affected.
APPENDICES ATTACHED
None
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
Strategic Development of CCTV on the Island
Best
Value Reviews on Crime & Disorder and CCTV (soon to be merged into one
report)
Isle
of Wight Council CCTV scheme Evaluation – 2001
Crime
& Disorder Strategy 2002 – 2005
CCTV
file – Crime & Disorder Office
Draft
Service Level Agreement
Independent
Inspection Scheme (lay visitors)
Contact Points : Alistair
Drain, Head of Select Committee & Best Value Support F 823801 [email protected]
Steve Milford, Principal Best Value Facilitator F 823620 [email protected]