This week Lib Dem/Tory-run Southwark Council decided to strip back CCTV coverage in our borough. This is in spite of the fact that they admit that the presence of CCTV cameras makes people feel safe and that the council has £40 million of money for capital spending like CCTV that it doesn’t know what to do with.

The coalition is currently considering so-called ‘bids’ for a portion of this £40 million, which include a bid of £10 million for a new computer system for town hall bureaucrats.

What sort of message does this send to Southwark residents? Your council is willing to spend £10 million on new computers for itself, but not on the CCTV cameras it knows help to make you feel safe.

CCTV works as a detterent, as safety reassurrance to local people and catches criminals!! At a time when violent crime in Southwark is again on the rise it just does not make any sense!!!

Too many people in our borough still have lives blighted by crime, the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. The decision to cut CCTV coverage will mark a backward step in fighting these injustices, and combined with huge new spending on computers it would be both idiotic and unforgivable too.

Cllr John Friary

Southwark Labour's spokesperson on Community Safety