INGOLDMELLS and Chapel St Leonards are to join East Lindsey’s CCTV network.
East Lindsey District Council’s Executive Board has given the green light to the £49,000 scheme that will see three cameras installed in Chapel St Leonards and two in Ingoldmells at the request of the Parish Councils and Lincolnshire Police.
The cameras will be linked to the District Council’s state-of-the-art CCTV Control Room at Skegness Police station, where the cameras covering Louth, Mablethorpe, Alford, Horncastle and Skegness are also monitored.
Since 2006 Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards Parish Councils have undertaken substantial work to demonstrate the need for CCTV and how it would benefit the local community, by reducing crime levels and fear of crime amongst local residents.
Portfolio Holder for Community Safety at the District Council, Councillor Sandra Harrison, said: "A lot of work was put in by residents, police and the Councils to establish the real benefits of CCTV to community safety. Based on this, we believe that installing a system in this area will not only have a direct impact on prevention of crime but will also provide assurances against fear of crime."
Chief Superintendent of Lincolnshire Police’s East Division, Russ Hardy, said: "We've been working with East Lindsey District Council for several years now to secure CCTV cameras across Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards and it's good to see all our efforts coming to fruition."
"CCTV has already made a terrific impact on policing across the East Lindsey and Boston Borough areas. I have absolutely no doubt that the new cameras will have the same positive affect on all levels of criminal activity in Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards, particularly during the summer season when both towns become busy holiday destinations. Not only do CCTV cameras assist in the detection of crime, they also act as a deterrent to would-be offenders and it's because of this that we are seeing reductions in criminal activity, which is excellent news for everyone living in down the East Coast
"CCTV is another way of reducing crime and anti-social activity across our communities. We're now very much looking forward to working with Chapel St Leonards and Ingoldmells and making a positive difference to offending in both these areas," he said.
Capital funding of £15,194 will come from Ingoldmells Parish Council and £33,555 from Chapel St Leonards Parish Council to pay for the cameras and associated infrastructure. East Lindsey District Council will pay the ongoing revenue costs of £6,000 per year. This includes monitoring the cameras 24 hours a day from its state-of-the-art control room in Skegness Police Station. Lincolnshire Police is also supporting the scheme with a capital investment of £5,000.
