Mayor is to look at CCTV for vandals (From Ledbury Reporter)

Mayor is to look at CCTV for vandals

5:10pm Friday 31st August 2012 in News

LEDBURY’S mayor, Councillor Phill Bettington, is to study CCTV images from the town’s recreation ground to see if they contain anything that could lead to police action and prosecution.

And another councillor is to compile reports to get police action on vandals and late-night revellers.

Their action comes after the recreation ground has suffered from a number of problems in recent months, including damage to the new war memorial plaque, latenight drinking, noise, verbal abuse and littering.

Coun Bettington said: “The cameras are owned by Ledbury Town Council. I need to see what’s on there.”

He will use recent reports of problems to home in on specific times.

His action comes as former deputy mayor, Coun Tony Bradford questioned the value of the recreation ground’s CCTV system.

He said: “We have put in an expensive tool, CCTV.

Why aren’t the police reacting to the footage?”

There is a growing consensus among town councillors that the majority of incidents are not being reported to the police and, as a result, the problems are not being tackled.

Because of this, Coun Annette Crowe, of the Past and Present jewellery shop in the Homend, says she is willing to take reports in her shop, to pass them on to West Mercia Constabulary.

She said: “I think people have lost confidence in the police. They think it’s not worth saying anything because nothing will be done.”

She said the situation had become “totally unacceptable”

and she had personally seen litter, broken glass and even the remants of a late-night bonfire on the recreation ground.

Coun Crowe also plans to visit pensioners at the Leadon Bank residential home, which overlooks the site, to take reports of any inconveniences they might have because of late night gatherings.

A police spokesman said: “We are aware of concerns about Ledbury Recreation Ground but, having said that, it’s not actually something we have received a huge amount of calls about.

We would therefore encourage people to call us if they do have further concerns.

"However, we will be increasing patrols in the area to provide reassurance to local people while we have also asked our local policing team to look into the concerns that have been raised and then do all they can to addess them.”