7. CCTV Installation Process - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 14 January 2025
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 14 January 2025 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 14 January 2025 Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: CCTV installation Policy ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council manage the Public Space CCTV system which consists of 65 CCTV cameras covering the wider Renfrewshire area as well as a number of Household Waste Recycling Centres. This system is designed to promote Community Safety and overall community wellbeing within the community. 1.2 The positioning of the current CCTV infrastructure is subject to periodic review to ensure the locations utilised remain appropriate based on crime and incident pattern analysis. 1.3 The Council receives requests to install additional public space CCTV cameras and the purpose of this report is to provide clear guidance on the procedure which will be followed when making feasibility decisions in this regard. 1.4 At the current time there are no plans to install additional CCTV infrastructure across Renfrewshire with the exception of CCTV due to be installed in Dargavel as a result of the conditions installed in the Section 75 agreement with BAE. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Note and approve the CCTV Installation Policy as attached at Appendix1. _________________________________________________________
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3. Background 3.1 CCTV operates with the primary purpose of enhancing community safety and public protection by acting as both a deterrent and a response tool for crime prevention. The system is designed to monitor public spaces, reduce anti- social behaviour, and support the detection and investigation of crime. CCTV contributes to safeguarding the wellbeing of the community, ensuring that public areas are safe for residents, businesses, and visitors alike. 3.2 In addition to promoting public safety, CCTV also plays a crucial role in protecting council property and assets from damage and theft. This provides real-time monitoring as well as retrospective monitoring. Cameras are strategically positioned in key locations where risks to public safety are most significant based on analytical data. 3.3 The Council periodically receives requests from residents, businesses, and community groups for the installation of additional public space CCTV cameras in areas not currently covered. These requests highlight specific concerns related to public safety and / or antisocial behaviour, however, CCTV installation is not always the most appropriate or proportionate response to issues raised. 3.4 Where there is no definitive requirement for public space CCTV but a short term solution is required, temporary CCTV will be considered. This option would require a secure location to site the camera together with a power source. Any incident recordings are retrospectively reviewed by removing the digital recorder. This may assist in resolving the issue or indicate that a more permanent solution is required. 3.5 This report provides clear guidance on the formal procedure that will be followed when such requests are received and the steps involved in evaluating the necessity and feasibility of new CCTV installations. This will ensure that the service is adopting a transparent and consistent approach when considering requests for new CCTV infrastructure. 3.6 The scoring matrix is weighted so that the most important safety and feasibility factors are scored higher to reflect these are the priority considerations when reviewing requests for CCTV infrastructure. 3.7 The existing CCTV infrastructure will be retrospectively scored against the criteria to ensure that we have a baseline when considering new requests for infrastructure. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None.
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3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is safe – by focussing on the proportionality and necessity for CCTV based on evidential criteria we can support the safety and wellbeing of the community and businesses of Renfrewshire. 4. Legal - None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. List of Background Papers None. ___________________________________________________________________ Author Gwyneth Heaney, Senior Manager Climate & Public Protection e-mail: gwyneth.heaney@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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Appendix 1 CCTV Installation Policy 1. Renfrewshire Council manage the Public Space CCTV system which consists of 65 CCTV cameras (2024) covering the wider Renfrewshire area as well as a number of Household Waste Recycling Centres. 2. The Council periodically receive requests from residents, businesses, community groups and elected members for the installation of additional public space CCTV cameras in areas not currently covered. These requests highlight specific concerns related to public safety and / or antisocial behaviour. 3. Consideration of requests for new CCTV installations will be based on key criteria, including the availability of appropriate funding and the necessity and proportionality of the installation. To evaluate these factors, the procedure and scoring matrix outlined below will be used to assess both the necessity and feasibility of proposed installations. Criteria Description Score (1 Low – 5 High) Weighting Purpose Initial evaluation of the request for CCTV to establish what the installation is looking to achieve and if this is realistic / feasible. 1 Data Analysis Collect and analyse relevant data to understand the area's safety and surveillance needs. This will include Crime Statistics, Hotspots and emerging ASB trends. 2 Current Infrastructure Identify any existing CCTV resources in the area for example Community Centres, Schools and public buildings. Where there is existing CCTV infrastructure this will result in a low scoring. 1 Site Evaluation Assess the physical attributes of the site requested and feasibility for CCTV. Is there suitable fibre connectivity, power and lighting in the area. Would the area be obstructed by trees / landscape. Is the location a listed building. 2 Cost Benefit Analysis Based on the site evaluation identify financial implications of implementing CCTV against expected benefits and any other preventative measures which could be equally effective. 1 Funding Availability Available Funding Resources or longer term potential for funding re assessment. 1 Legal & Ethical Considerations Establish whether the proposed location complies with respect for privacy and ethical standards. 2 Total Score 1 (Poor): Fails to meet criteria. 2 (Below Average): Partially meets criteria. 3 (Average): Adequately meets criteria. 4 (Above Average): Overall meets criteria. 5 (Excellent): Fully meets criteria.