05 July 2009Local reporters are invited to see for themselves the District's CCTV control room and speak directly with Cllr Keith Loney, the Council's Cabinet member with responsibility for Community Safety, and Sharon Wright the Council's CCTV Manager, about the system.
The event is taking place on Monday 9 June at 1pm at the Council's offices in Sevenoaks (following on from the Community Safety Partnership meeting).
The event has been organised to mark the launch of the new three-year Community Safety Partnership Action Plan.
PLEASE NOTE: We regret that due to data protection issues, we cannot allow photographs to be taken in the CCTV control room. However, we can supply photographs of the control room on request as we plan to have a photographer on hand.
To arrange a visit to the Council's CCTV control centre, please contact Daniel Whitmarsh in the Council's Communications Team on 01732 227414.
A total of 96 cameras, positioned in the District's priority areas, are monitored 24 hours by Council staff who are in direct radio contact with North Kent Police, West Kent Police, Kent County Council Highway Services and local shopkeepers and publicans through the successful Shopsafe and Pubwatch schemes.
Each camera is remotely controlled by staff at the centre and a real time image is recorded, which can be replayed and later used as evidence.
Sevenoaks District Council funds the system.
Cllr Keith Loney, Cabinet member for Community Safety, says: "CCTV is a vital tool in the Partnership’s work to reduce to crime and the fear of crime. Through the active monitoring by the highly trained staff, it has been possible to support the police in their work in the District, as well as providing a vital link for retailers and businesses via the Shopsafe and Pubwatch schemes."
The Community Safety Partnership is officially launching its new three year strategy from 9 June 2008 with a week of opportunities for the media to find out more about the work taking place in the District to reduce crime and the fear of crime and strengthen communities. The strategy is available from Sevenoaks District Council by calling 01732 227000 or online on the Community Safety section of the Council website.
The Partnership brings together all of the agencies in the District who can have an effect on crime and includes West Kent Police, Sevenoaks District Council, Kent County Council, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, West Kent Primary Care Trust, the voluntary sector, Kent Drug & Alcohol Action Team, West Kent Housing Association, Moat Housing Association, Kent Youth Offending Team and the Probation Service Team, West Kent Extra and the Kenward Trust.
