Dear Editor,

The current CCTV Survey that Basingstoke council and the PCC office are circulating tells us that most crime around the Top of Town is committed in and around the car park yards. As such they plan to improve the quality of the CCTV cameras in those areas within the car parks. Improved CCTV coverage sounds like a good idea until you learn that Top of Town CCTV is monitored by Festival Place. Festival Place security team does not actually monitor the Top of Town CCTV unless the police or the authorities ask them to do so for a specific incident. Not one crime has been foiled during its perpetration because of the Top of Town CCTV. So far, the cameras have not been pointing the right way when any theft or vandalism has happened to any of the businesses I am associated with.

READ MORE: New CCTV cameras set to be introduced in Basingstoke town centre

Of course as a tool to gain a conviction after the event, it has been useful.

The cameras have failed dismally in stopping the crimes of drug dealing, aggressive begging and anti-social behaviour that have become so blatant within the pedestrian shopping areas of the Top of Town. The trees obscure the cameras vision was the last excuse I heard.

So some improvements to the CCTV systems would be well received. Maybe a designated person to monitor them? Maybe repositioned cameras so the trees are not in the way? Instead, the council and PCC want to improve the cameras within the car parks. I am guessing here but do you think this is to improve security? Or, in my opinion more likely, to make it easier for the council to instigate remote ticketing/ fining for parking violations?

Here is the survey.

Take a look for yourself

https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90425222/Safer-Streets-2-Basingstoke-CCTV-consultation

Alan Stone

Hampshire Independents

Basingstoke