Agenda item

To approve the Outline Business Case to undertake a strategic review of the CCTV requirements for the Community Safety Team and Libraries Service.

The report was presented by Clair Green, Executive Director, Assurance, and Declan Khan, Assistant Director, Counter Fraud, Community Safety & Protection.

Ms Green noted that the report presented CCTV options including a feasibility study of current CCTV assets that had been undertaken.  The report includes procurement details and plans to move Barnet’s CCTV control room to Colindale.

Ms Green added that the new technology is being piloted. This includes WIFI-enabled CCTV which would support better connection with the control room than the older CCTV infrastructure. Project management capacity and specialist expertise have been made available within CST.

Ms Green highlighted the outline business case for increasing the CCTV infrastructure, together with a set of principles for deployment of CCTV. She added that feedback from Members would be welcomed as part of the consultation and also when the full business case is presented in 2022.

The CST would work with the police’s and its own data to decide where additional assets should be placed. Ms Green added that she was aware of requests for CCTV that had been submitted via Area Committees and the team would be contacting Members about those as part of the review. There would be additional capacity to add mobile CCTV at later stages as required. If requests outside the funding available are made, there is the opportunity to discuss this at Policy and Resources Committee or to apply under Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding at Area Committees. The transparent process for CCTV applications is set out on page 87 of the report. 

Cllr Weeden-Sanz noted that the capital cost of £400,000, plus £300,000 on the review and consultant, appeared high. He asked how long the entire process would take.

Ms Green responded that the cost also includes the upgraded monitoring equipment and its move to Colindale. This would mean that both MASH and CST would have access to the control room. Timelines had not been included at this stage as this depended on how complex the final arrangement would be. 

Cllr Fluss enquired about access to the CCTV images and who would be authorised to do this. Ms Green responded that access to the control room would be restricted to trained and accredited CCTV operators who undergo a high level of checks. The police would also have access in accordance with legislation.

Cllr Fluss asked about the procurement process. Ms Green reported that the specialist consultant had provided an estimate; a detailed review would follow. The funding that had been secured was as stated above.

Hannah Richens, Head of Library Service noted that the library service CCTV monitoring and maintenance are part of the corporate contract and cost circa £130,000 per year. There are around 250 CCTV cameras across the core libraries.

Mr Khan added some areas require different types of cameras to others, which made costings difficult at this stage so an estimate was provided. The final figure would be clearer when the sites for the cameras is known.

Cllr Narenthira asked whether Area Committees would receive additional funding or would CCTV be funded via the current CiL budgets. Ms Green responded that there would be a consultation with Members and then this item would return to CLLC in June 2022. It was not being proposed currently that further requests should be met with CiL funding as there is an opportunity to request this at Policy and Resources Committee. However ad hoc requests may be made through Area Committees in the future.

Cllr Richman asked about requests that had already been made, such as nine hotspots identified a year ago, and whether those would be prioritised. Mr Khan noted that this would be investigated after the meeting; many requests were received and the aim of the review is to agree the principles. Sometimes CCTV is not the best solution but he would ensure the list is reviewed. With the older technology it was impossible to install in some areas without electrical feeds.

Action: Mr Khan

Cllr Rich asked whether officers would be discussing the review with him as he would be keen to meet to discuss where CCTV should be placed. Ms Green confirmed all members will be offered a briefing.

Action: Ms Green, Cllr Rich

Cllr Conway congratulated the team on a comprehensive piece of work which was long overdue.  She commented:

• Consideration needed to be given to what could be done about people wearing hoods, making CCTV less useful
• How urgent CCTV requests might be dealt with in between Area Committee meetings
• With changes happening at some libraries how is CCTV provided in the interim? 
• She hoped the review could dovetail with the VAWG Strategy refresh
• Lighting in streets, parks and estates is repeatedly brought up at meetings as an issue. CCTV is most useful when there is sufficient lighting.
• She hoped that all Wards would be treated equally in terms of allocation of mobile units. There needed to be a safety-specific need, including in the Area Committee process of adding CCTV.

Ms Richens noted that new CCTV would be put in Hendon and Burnt Oak libraries after the construction of the new buildings rather than for example replacing CCTV cameras in the current Hendon Library and then having to repeat this a year later.

RESOLVEDthat the Committee:

1.             Approved the CCTV Outline Business Case (OBC) and start the procurement process for a CCTV monitoring and maintenance services contract for the Community Safety Team and Library Service, and new CCTV technology procurement for the Community Safety Team, as per the Procurement Forward Plan.

2.             Noted that a strategic review of Barnet’s Community Safety CCTV requirements will be undertaken and reported to CLLC for review as part of a Full Business Case (FBC).

3.             Approved delegated authority to the Executive Director, Assurance and the Executive Director, Children and Young People in consultation with the Committee Chairman to approve a revised OBC prior to an FBC. This will include outcomes from the strategic review which require initiating in advance of the FBC.

4.             Approved the proposed Member consultation and engagement model set out in section 5.9 (and OBC) which details the principles and processes to consult with Members on both the Community Safety strategic review and the decision-making process for future Community Safety CCTV deployment.