Last updated at 19:56, Thursday, 28 June 2012

Business owners in Allerdale will be asked to pay towards CCTV monitoring under last-ditch plans to save the service.

Live monitoring of the cameras is due to stop at the end of this month because of a lack of funding.

But Allerdale council is prepared to contribute £10,000 a year if business owners and other groups help to meet the costs.

The cameras will carry on filming in towns such as Workington, Aspatria and Maryport. However, there will be no one there to watch ‘live’ footage.

The council is not legally obliged to provide CCTV monitoring and decided to withdraw the service in a bid to save an estimated £80,000 a year.

But Tim Heslop, council Conservative group leader, said it could still be saved if local businesses were prepared to pay for some of the security costs. He also suggested that community volunteers, overseen by a professional, could man the cameras.

Coun Heslop said: “I would like the council to call interested parties together and see if we can come to a last minute deal.

“It will protect shopkeepers from shoplifting, and if shoplifting increases I would imagine their insurance premiums would also increase.

“CCTV monitoring gives reassurance to parents that their youngsters going out on the town will get some protection.”

Coun Heslop said it would be up to representatives from the police and businesses to work out the details.

Council leader Alan Smith welcomed the suggestion and pledged that the council would contribute £10,000 annually providing that other groups contributed.

He said: “If people want to contribute and come into a partnership, we will keep it going but we aren’t going to do it solo.”

First published at 19:24, Thursday, 28 June 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk