£98,000 to be spent on CCTV network (From York Press)

£98,000 to be spent on Selby's CCTV network

9:00am Saturday 6th October 2012 in News

MORE than £98,000 of public money will be spent on Selby's CCTV network – but the number of cameras could be cut.

Selby District Council’s executive has announced that it is putting control of the network out to tender, in line with EU rules.

There are currently about 30 cameras in Selby, Sherburn-in-Elmet and Tadcaster, and council leader Mark Crane said regardless of any change in the number of cameras, there would continue to be a CCTV presence in all three towns.

Coun Crane said: “We have agreed previously that we were looking at reducing the number of cameras that were reviewed all the time and also upgrading a number of cameras.”

A report to the executive said £75,000 should be allocated to relocating the CCTV network to an electrical supply at Vivars Way, and £23,600 should be spend decommissioning and removing redundant equipment. Coun Crane said any cameras removed would probably be kept to be used as spare parts.

The money will come from the council’s Spend To Save Reserve, and the report recommended £3,750 of the savings each year be set aside to replace the new facilities at the end of its 20-year life.

Coun Crane said bids had already been received, and he expected the contract to be allocated this year.

He said: “Local firms have bid, but so have one or two larger organisations, so we will have to see. Until the bids are evaluated, we can’t say how much we will be saving, but with the changing number of cameras and the new contract, we would expect to save enough money that the initial outlay would be repaid within two to three years.”