Wednesday, January 09, 2008

CCTV Cameras for Collier Row


North Romford residents and the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association are celebrating after Havering Council has finally installed CCTV cameras in Collier Row Town Centre.

Following a campaign launched over 12 months ago, by the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association over 2000 local residents and shop keepers signed a petition calling on Havering Council to install CCTV in Collier Row town centre, which Cllr Andrew Mann presented to the Mayor of Havering at a Council meeting last year, shaming the Council into bringing forward a report to Cabinet outlining the plans.

Although only three cameras were proposed for locations around the shopping centre at a cost of approx £85k, Cllr Mann put up a case for this to be increased to four cameras, which means we now get far better coverage. The cameras are located at Collier Row Roundabout x 2 and two in Collier Row Lane, one outside the Library and the second opposite Ramsden Drive.

Cllr Mann has also recently visited the newly upgraded CCTV control room, to speak with staff and see how the new cameras will work, he said “this is a small price to pay for the provision of cameras in North Romford, our residents have felt vulnerable for to long, this will go some way to make people feel safer”.

During the last local elections, the Residents Association in Collier Row made the provision of CCTV for our Town one of its main priorities. With Romford Town Centre fully covered with cameras, Collier Row has gone without, to the detriment of its residents and shopkeepers.

Cllr Mann said “For to long, Collier Row has gone without, we have spent a lot of money on improving our Town Centre and we need to protect that asset, with the Police no longer issuing dispersal orders, those intent on causing trouble know that they can do so, without being caught”

He went on “Things have to change, it is wrong to demonise all youngsters, as only a small minority are intend on causing trouble, but we need better protection for our residents and shop keepers, Collier Row is a vibrant busy place, but a lot of people, in particular the elderly, do not like to go out in the dark”

During our campaign last year, members of the CRM Residents Association spent Saturday mornings in Collier Row talking with residents and collecting signatures. Thousands of people supported the petition, along with shopkeepers displaying posters and placing copies of the petition in their shops.

The Wording on the petition: With ever rising problems with anti social behavior and youth disorder, we the undersigned, call on Havering Council to install CCTV for Collier Row, not just the town centre, but to deal with known trouble spots across North Romford as a whole.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thankfully Collier Row now has the CCTV installed, I have spoken to a number of residents who tell me that it hasn't been commissioned and as of yet is not working ! Is that correct ?

Resident of Eaton Drive, RM5 2ND