THE final piece of equipment completing an up-to-date CCTV system in Callington has been purchased, thanks to local support and a Police Crime Commissioner grant.

With 31 cameras at various locations in the town centre, most of which provide recordings of ‘evidential quality’ for police and court, Callington now has comprehensive coverage, says town councillor Mike Tagg, who has overseen the project.

The aim of the council in building up the new CCTV system over the last five years has been to help prevent crime and help people in the town feel as safe and as protected as possible.

“We want to show due care and diligence to all our taxpayers, particularly our elderly residents,” said Cllr Tagg.

“The role of the CCTV is in large part as a deterrent, as well as to provide evidential recording, incident monitoring and site management.

“A number of property owners have given us permission to put cameras on their buildings, and these are recording 24/7,” he continued.

“With the current lack of policing resource the fallback position is to have CCTV, with the idea being prevention.

“The town council has invested in building up a system and I think we’ve done the best we can in the circumstances to look after our ratepayers.”

Supported

The successful application to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for a £2,000 grant for the final set of cameras was supported by Inspector Dan Harvey and the Neighbourhood Policing Team, the town council and Cornwall Councillor Andrew Long (Mebyon Kernow), many businesses and local groups.

The rest of the system has been funded by Callington Town Council, which has spent in the area of £12,000 over the past five years.

Now that the final purchase has been made, the council will only have to pay for ongoing maintenance, said Cllr Tagg.

Cameras have been installed at locations including the Pannier Market, Fore Street, and most recently, on the Walter Parson Funeral Directors’ building on Saltash Road.

Managing director’s assistant John Ware said: “We were approached by Cllr Mike Tagg in August last year. We had purchased the old Police Station in Callington and opened there in 2019.

“We thought it was quite apt that the CCTV should go on the former police building

“With it being on the crossroads it provides really good coverage of the roads in and out of the town.

“Particularly from an anti-social behaviour point of view, Cllr Tagg felt it was important to have coverage in that area. We were more than happy to provide space on our building for the equipment.

“We’ll always do everything we can to support the community.”

Cllr Tagg added: “We’d really like to thank the businesses that have assisted us and the people who have written letters of support.”