Swindon Borough Council has spent £30,000 on five CCTV cameras covering Old Town.
The cameras are located at various points around Wood Street, Devizes Road and Newport Street have been paid for by Section 106 funding - where developers are asked to fund measures (such as CCTV or road schemes) to mitigate the impact of building extra homes or other buildings.
Councillor Cathy Martyn, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, said: “These new safety measures are intended to ensure that Old Town remains a safe destination at all times.
“As a council, we have listened to the concerns of local residents and businesses and we are fully on their side in the fight against anti-social and criminal behaviour.
“We need to ensure that those visiting the area are safe and it is important to send a clear message that those who commit offences will be identified and dealt with accordingly.”
The five new cameras are part of the town centre CCTV network which is transmitted back to the council’s main control room.
Wiltshire Police has given its backing to the installation of the cameras.
PC Paul Bezzant said: “As part of the Community Policing Team who regularly deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour, I am really pleased that Swindon Borough Council has installed these new CCTV cameras.
“Not only do they provide a useful tool for my colleagues and I to identify witnesses and suspects, they also show exactly what has happened, which can be very helpful in determining the full circumstances of an incident.
“We continue to work closely with partners with the joint aim of preventing crimes from taking place and making our community safer.”
And after many years campaigning for CCTV cameras, the Old Town Business Association is delighted that at last they have been installed in the heart of Old Town.
Chairman Richard Deacon said: “This project is a great example of businesses, the Council and the police working together to help make Swindon a safer place.”
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