Next on the Safety Partnership discussion was the new CCTV system which Bexley Council
would rather you did not know about.
Councillor Slaughter (Conservative, Sidcup), quoting from the Agenda, said that only two fixed cameras are
devoted to car parks but was nevertheless optimistic about the new and much diminished
in size system. So optimistic in fact that she requested a six monthly report on its
effectiveness. The two fixed cameras are in Felixstowe Road and Gayton Road car parks
(both next door to Abbey Wood station) and are not there to serve the best
interests of local residents but because the Elizabeth line creates major national
security concerns. By chance both car parks suffer more vehicle crime than any other in the borough.
One
must wonder if Councillor Slaughter is dutifully toeing the party line at
the superficial level while seeking to undermine it by requiring updates on its
effectiveness. There are after all, notes in circulation that suggest that Bexley
Conservatives are paranoid about the extent of the CCTV cuts becoming well known and
the possible impact on their electoral chances in three months time. More than
two thirds of the cameras have gone and the unmanned observation centre (see image. The premises are still on
Bexley’s Asset Register) totally abandoned.
Will the new system ever be as effective as the old one which could track suspects in real time and relay
the information directly to the police? It looks to be doubtful.
The
police representatives who had not gone away said they deployed their cameras to
tackle anti-social behaviour and it was really important that residents reported
ASB by every means available and not simply put up with it. The police do not go out
of their way to hide cameras. Spying on drug dealers may be an exception.
Councillor Day (Labour, Slade Green) asked when Councillors would be advised of the presence of
cameras in their wards but Ginny Hyland, the responsible Council Officer, said
there were no plans to do so, certainly not a list. She said she would consider
verbal requests via the Partnership but asked Councillors to not put anything in writing and not just yet
please because a new member of staff has not yet started work. Video connections would mainly
be by secure fibre with no links to the world outside of Council and Police premises. Unlike many other
cameras in London, there would be no way for the public to access them.
It is interesting to compare the draconian restrictions on CCTV information now
with the Code of Practice published when cameras were first introduced by the
Safety Partnership. That documentation specifically refers to the need to deter
vehicle crime in public car parks; there are now none installed for that
purpose. The code says cameras must not be installed in a covert manner; today
Bexley considers them to be akin to a state secret. In days gone by, residents could access the recorded data
under supervision following a Subject Access Request; today even police officers
are not allowed to know anything about the system. Camera locations were
available to anyone on request and a list was available for inspection in libraries. Bexley’s
Contracts Manager, Richard Kay, now says that locations are subject to a law
which restricts disclosure of information which might prejudice the detection of
crime. The old Code of Practice
may be downloaded here. (PDF.) Maybe @tonyofsidcup will ask for the latest
one to discover how our Tory Council is Making Bexley Even Better.
Councillor Hinkley (Labour, Belvedere) asked if additional mobile cameras would be forthcoming if
they proved to be successful. “Can we afford it?” Possibly was the answer, maybe an additional two next year.
The meeting Chairman asked how police officers would know if the cameras might
be of use to them if they did not know where they were located. The Chief
Inspector said he knew where they were. Let’s hope that he is not overwhelmed by
enquiries from police officers trying to do their jobs with one hand tied behind their backs.
The plan is to charge insurance companies to access footage.
Bexley seems to be determined to maintain its reputation as a secretive and deeply sinister organisation with
an aversion to total honesty. Until May at least.