Calls for CCTV cameras and a greater police presence to help tackle a surge in crime in a south Warwickshire

A Shipston councillor is hoping CCTV cameras and a greater police presence will help tackle a surge in crime.

Cllr Jo Barker (Con, Shipston South) was speaking at yesterday's (Monday's) cabinet meeting of Stratford District Council as councillors approved a series of community safety priorities across South Warwickshire.

A report before councillors explained that various consultations with residents identified the ‘level of crime’ as the second most important factor in making the district a good place to live.

It added that a Citizens Panel, from February 2020, highlighted that 43 per cent wanted to see an increase in CCTV and crime reduction.

Cllr Barker said: “I am hopeful that policing will be dragged out to the sticks a little bit more than it is at the moment. We seem to have got, from my experience, more crime occurring than I have ever seen before on my patch and I suspect that that is true for others.”

The report went on to explain that grant funding had been secured from Warwickshire’s police and crime commissioner with nearly £80,000 paying for additional CCTV resources during peak periods where there was a greater risk of violence. Other funding would go towards projects and campaigns to tackle County Lines drugs.

Cllr Chris Kettle (Con, Bishop’s Itchington), the portfolio holder for community protection, said: “CCTV does help hugely. There have been a number of helpful contributions to crime reduction in Stratford itself relating to CCTV. There have clearly been huge benefits and it will be good when the two final sites are rolled out.”

Technical issues mean that one of those two sites is in Shipston but Cllr Kettle added that there were plans for a further six sites if the schemes were given PCC approval.