Huntingdonshire District Council’s new Chairman, Cllr. John Davies, was out in the district today visiting the new CCTV camera at Godmanchester lock.
The 6 metre high CCTV camera has been installed at Godmanchester lock recently, to protect the lock from a growing anti–social behaviour problem.
The Environment Agency has teamed up with Huntingdonshire District Council to provide 24 hour surveillance to the site. The camera is a permanent fixture at the lock, and has been both installed and paid for by the Environment Agency. The camera will be monitored 24 hours per day from the Huntingdonshire District Council CCTV control room. The control room will inform the police if any anti social behaviour, vandalism or other crime is committed.
Due to the size and weight of the camera, it had to be delivered to the lock by barge, as the lock is inaccessible by road, not the traditional cargo of a barge! But the installation has gone very smoothly. The lock has also been made safer and easier to operate by a new push button control system. In addition work has been carried out on the steps of the bridge, improving access to Portholme Meadow.
Councillor Colin Hyams, executive councillor for operations and countryside services, as well as one of the ward councillors for Godmanchester, said ‘Over the past year vandals have caused over £20,000 damage to this site when the gates were jammed open, plus youths regularly congregate here to vandalise the equipment – we hope that the installation of this camera will put a stop to all that. Huntingdonshire District Council in conjunction with the Environment Agency has done a fantastic job. We also need to keep our eyes open to ensure that they don’t move to a similar area. So I would ask all residents to contact Huntingdonshire District Council or the Environment Agency if they see any similar acts of vandalism.’
Staff at the District Council control room will be able to speak directly with anyone playing at the lock via a state of the art loud speaker system which has cost the Environment Agency around £30,000. The footage from the cameras is recorded and can be used in the event of a prosecution. Infra-red technology also enables the lock to be monitored during the hours of darkness.
Godmanchester Mayor, Mr. M Cohen said ‘I would like to thank the District Council and the Environment Agency for all the work at the lock. We are already enjoying the benefits of a reduction in anti- social behaviour in this area’.
Speaking for the Environment Agency, Nathan Arnold said ‘I hope that this project will reduce anti-social behaviour at Godmanchester lock as well as making it a safer place for boaters and local people. We are pleased to be working in partnership again with the CCTV unit at Huntingdonshire District Council’.