Broxbourne Council have agreed to evaluate the evidence, costings and potential level of financial support from retailers and other interested parties for the installation of a monitored CCTV camera system in Hoddesdon town centre.

There are town centre CCTV systems in both Waltham Cross town centre and the Cheshunt Old Pond area.  These town centres had higher levels of crime/ASB compared with Hoddesdon and local retailers financially supported the schemes.  Evaluation of the impact of these town centre CCTV schemes has shown that there has been a reduction in certain types of ‘street’ crime and levels of anti-social behaviour in these town centres.

A CCTV system covering the High Street frontages and public car parks, monitored on a 24 hour basis, would cost around £100,000, with annual running costs of around £20,000.  However, the Council cannot fund the scheme on its own and has written to 143 local retailers, who would benefit from potential reductions in their insurance premiums and reductions in graffiti and vandalism, to assess their willingness to support a scheme.  So far, responses have been received from nine traders.

If the scheme is well supported the Council will initiate the necessary technical appraisals and develop detailed proposals. For more information residents can visit the community safety section on the Council website.

The Town Centre Sub-Committee have agreed to undertake an evening visual audit of the town centre on 11 September 2009 to assess conditions at first hand.