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The investment also funded upgrades to existing cameras and network equipment.
Locations for the additional cameras were chosen based on factors including intelligence from the police’s local beat team, crime statistics, and reports to StreetSafe about areas where people feel unsafe.
The additional cameras are being installed in five locations in and around Weston’s South Ward:
- Winterstoke Road – two cameras on the Lidl roundabout that connects Winterstoke Road to The Runway, Haywood Village.
- St John’s Park – a camera providing coverage of the car park, footpaths and railway crossing.
- Ullswater Close – a camera providing coverage of the park, play area and key local footpaths.
- Junction of Selworthy Road and St Ives Road – two cameras covering a panoramic view to include key local footpaths.
- Lonsdale Avenue – two cameras covering the For All Healthy Living Centre and surrounding roads and footpaths, providing improved coverage to existing cameras on Windwhistle Circle, Windwhistle Lane and Thirlmere Road.
Including these new sites, the CCTV network across North Somerset has 425 cameras. They are monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by a team of fully trained operators at North Somerset Council’s emergency control centre.
Operators have direct radio communication with the police, council enforcement officers, businesses and street wardens. They also deal with emergency out-of-hours calls to the council, lone worker monitoring and provide a dedicated operator for the night-time Carelink service.
Councillor James Clayton, North Somerset Council's executive member for safety in the community and local ward member for Weston’s South Ward, said: “Our emergency control centre plays a vital part of the council’s proactive approach to cracking down on local crime and keeping North Somerset safe.
“I’d like to thank Avon & Somerset Police for their generous funding which enabled this project to happen. This investment will help to reduce offending, while also improving the feeling of safety through the use of CCTV.”
Councillor Ian Parker, North Somerset Council local ward member, said: “I’m very proud to represent the people of Weston’s South Ward, a vibrant and close-knit community. I’m delighted to see this investment in the area which will help residents to keep and feel safe, and improve the lives of those who live here. Well done and thank you to everyone involved.”
Inspector Graeme Hall, Avon and Somerset Police, said: “We were delighted to partner with North Somerset Council to support the installation of further CCTV cameras in targeted areas.
“The information we gather from calls from the public, along with data from StreetSafe, has played a key role in identifying where these should be located. I’d encourage people to continue to share any concerns they have about specific locations. This information enables us to build a picture of where and why people feel unsafe in certain areas so we can work with North Somerset, and other partners, on solutions like CCTV, better lighting or increased patrols.”
Since January 2023, the control centre has dealt with 5,312 incidents. Of these, 769 were identified directly by the CCTV operator and 408 resulted in police arrest.
For more information about CCTV in North Somerset, including a map to show all the camera locations, please visit the Safer Stronger North Somerset website www.saferstrongerns.co.uk/CCTV.
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