Hartlepool Borough Council scraps CCTV cutbacks proposals after new funding found

Hartlepool Borough Council currently provides public space CCTV which is delivered and monitored from a centre 24/7, 365 days a year.

As part of budget savings for 2024/25 it was proposed that, while cameras would remain recording at all times, the time the centre is staffed would be reduced to weekends, bank holidays and between 5pm and 9am on weekdays.

This would have saved the council £30,000, according to finance chiefs.

However, Conservative councillor Mike Young, the council’s leader, has now said they will be able to keep the CCTV centre staffed and monitored 24/7 after the leading coalition identified extra funding.

It comes after it was announced in October Hartlepool would be awarded £20million from government over a 10 year period as part of a longer term plan to level up towns.

The area is one of 55 across the UK to benefit from a £1.1 billion investment, with the funding being targeted at reviving high streets and tackling anti-social behaviour.

Denise McGuckin, council managing director, said they have now “received guidance” around the funding and they are able to use some to support projects to protect the community, such as the CCTV coverage.

She added: “Therefore the proposal is to use £30,000 out of that to actually continue to fund that saving that would have been considered.

“That will enable us to consider that funding for the length of that programme, which is a 10 year programme.”

The CCTV savings plans had previously been criticised by Labour councillor Moss Boddy, who said the proposal caused him a “great deal of concern”.