ALTON Liberal Democrats are to launch a local campaign to cut crime levels in the town. Determined to meet the challenge head on, they have pledged to work towards the provision of CCTV in the town centre within two years. And they intend carrying out a survey to find out what residents feel about crime issues and how they would like to see them addressed. The local initiative is part of a national Lib Dem crime-busting campaign which has five objectives: to get more police onto the streets instead of spending money on ID cards; more powers for local communities to close problem pubs and clubs; sentencing that does what it says "life should mean life"; training in prison to cut re-offending and better compensation for victims of crime. In Alton Lib Dems have determined to analyse the results of their survey, to be put out in the February edition of Focus, and will modify their efforts to meet local need. In the meantime, they believe the time has come to introduce closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to stop Alton's town centre being viewed as "a soft touch". In justifying the decision, campaign co- ordinator Robert Saunders told The Herald: "Alton town centre has become something of a 'no-go area' on Friday and Saturday evenings. Over the past few months the town has had a string of robberies, assaults and wanton damage to community facilities including the community centre, library and St Lawrence Church." He added: "Crime and anti-social behaviour is right at the top of the political agenda. While the other parties talk tough and don't deliver, we have effective policies that will make a difference and make our town a safer place to live." While the Liberal Democrats have in the past been accused of being "soft on crime", Alton members are determined to take a hard line on CCTV. "There are civil liberty issues with CCTV but we believe these are far outweighed by the need to tackle the threat from mindless yobishness and criminality," said Mr Saunders. On Wednesday, Alton Town Council's policy and resources committee was due to fast - track discussion on the matter, in order to meet an early February deadline for funding applications from the East Hampshire Community Safety Partnership's 2007/08 budget. In a report to the committee, deputy town clerk Greg Burt said that ATC's crime and disorder working party, which comprises representatives from partnership organisations including the Police, East Hampshire District Council and Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), had been looking at the possible provision of CCTV in the town. He explained that while previous schemes had foundered due to lack of funding for ongoing monitoring and maintenance, it had prompted ACCI to investigate a more modest system of privately owned cameras. Using modern Broadband web-based technology, the system would be inexpensive to instal and operate, and would be monitored by the people themselves, via the internet. The idea would be to store 48 hours worth of pictures in some remote location which would be easily accessible by the police. While this system would be less costly, the preferred option of the crime and disorder working party was for a more conventional, centrally monitored system. Quotations for the supply and installation of six cameras ranged from £60,000 to £120,000 with ongoing maintenance and monitoring in the region of £44,000 to £52,000. According to Mr Burt: "There is a consensus that with most other surrounding towns having CCTV, Alton has become a soft target for criminals." In making reference in particular to the recent armed robbery at HSBC, the raid on Thomsons travel agency, and a spate of broken windows, the recommendation was that the town council should take the lead and work towards the provision of CCTV in Alton by the year 2009. Councillors were also invited to support a £20,000 application for grant funding from the EH community safety partnership and to agree the allocation of £15,000 from ATC capital reserves to enable the project to move forward. Additional funding would be sought from the business community and the police. Supportive of the drive to install a town centre CCTV system, Alton Police Inspector Simon Dodds points out that while CCTV will not stop crime it should have a positive impact by acting as a preventative measure, by assisting with evidence, and by helping to combat the fear of crime. The idea would be to start with six cameras to provide reasonable cover, embracing areas where historically people have gathered, such as the High Street and the public gardens. Some businesses, such as the Co-op, already have their own cameras and these could support the main network. But, while "a Rolls Royce" system would be ideal, Insp Dodds was aware that, as a small market town, Alton may not have the budget to cover ongoing monitoring and maintenance costs. Instead it might look at a partnership scheme with neighbouring towns such as Petersfield and/or Whitehill. Or it may have to fall back on the ACCI compromise which would provide evidential footage but, due to lack of constant monitoring, would be less helpful in triggering immediate police response. While refuting claims that Alton was "a soft touch" for criminals, Insp Dodds did accept that there was a definite strength of feeling that CCTV would now be of benefit to the town. The police have got resources in place which have triggered a reduction in crime levels over the past two months and CCTV, he said, would provide another very useful tool to help police in progressing this trend.
