Town Council unveils Crime Prevention Scheme
Town Council unveils Crime Prevention Scheme
The A23 Recreation Ground, Court Lodge Playing Fields and Michael Crescent in Horley are set to get CCTV cameras after the contract for the system was awarded by Horley Town Council.
The contract was awarded at a recent meeting of the full council after a number of competitive bids were reviewed. The winning bid came from ADK Security Services Ltd, Croydon who specialise in CCTV systems throughout the country. These systems will ensure that all three locations will be subject to video surveillance and the images capable of being used in a court of law as evidence.
The council successfully bid for funding for the scheme from the Reigate and Banstead CDRP (Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership), which agreed to pay 75% of the costs of installation. The CDRP consists of a number of partners including Surrey County Council, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and Reigate and Banstead Housing Trust. These organisations have formed a powerful alliance known as the Community Safety Partnership aimed at clamping down on crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough.
A spokesperson from the CDRP said:
“CCTV has been proved to cut levels of crime in hotspots. By helping to install these cameras we hope to not only deter further crime and anti-social behaviour from being committed, but catch those that are committing the crimes and provide reassurance to residents.”
Horley Town Council took the decision to install the cameras after a number of problems in the three areas. The A23 Recreation Ground has caused considerable concern with criminal incidents, the most serious being the systematic destruction of the wooden teenage pavilion in 2002. In the past 18 months the total cost of damage has amounted to £17,000. The worrying trend has been such a cause for concern that the council’s insurers have increased the excess on their policy for claims on vandalism from £50 to £500, which effectively means that most incidents are no longer claimable and ultimately fall on the public purse. The last serious incident was as recently as February 2004 when fencing surrounding the children’s playground was so severely vandalised it had to be dismantled. The cost to the council is estimated at £5,000.
Damage to council property has placed pressure on the town council’s precept with an increased contingency for criminal damage 2004/05. Horley Town Council liaises regularly with Surrey Police and the Borough Council’s Community Wardens.
Note for Editors
The Crime & Disorder Act 1997 has empowered Local Councils to implement such schemes and commit appropriate expenditure from its funds.
Horley Town Council owns the freehold of the A23 Recreation Park and is responsible for the management of recreational facilities there. It is a public open recreation ground and is situated off the main A23 Brighton Road and bordered by Vicarage Lane and Charlesfield Road. There is a public footpath, which allows access through the centre of the park from the Brighton Road to Vicarage Lane and Charlesfield Road. The park is never closed and is effectively open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It is a prestigious, high profile site, and has been developed over many years into Horley’s premier recreation park and the Council is proud to maintain it to a high standard. It is visited by people of all age ranges, including children, parents, dog walkers, joggers and so on. All the facilities are free of charge.
There are a varied number of amenities for public use:
- Children’s Playground with separate area for toddlers and older children
- Tennis Courts
- skateboard Park
- Teenage “meeting point”
- Ornamental Gardens
- Memorial Gardens inc War Memorial
