1,500 CCTV cameras spying on our streets

More than 1,500 CCTV cameras owned by councils are watching people in the West Midlands, latest figures revealed today.

A pressure group hit out at the increasing number of surveillance cameras used by councils, saying the streets should be policed by extra officers and not CCTV. Big Brother Watch, which carried out the survey of councils, found that Birmingham has the most cameras in the West Midlands, with 627 in operation watching 977,087 people.

Cannock Chase that has the largest number of cameras per person with 104 keeping an eye on 92,126 people. The figure works out as one camera per 1,000 people.

Councillor John Jillings, Cannock Chase Council strong communities leader, said: "Cameras play an important role in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and provide real reassurance to residents."

Sandwell Council has almost double the number of cameras of any other Black Country authority, with 181. Wolverhampton has 92, Walsall has 99 and Dudley has 78.

Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said: "Local councils are creating enormous networks of surveillance at great expense, but the evidence for the ability of CCTV to deter or solve crimes is sketchy.

"The quality of footage is frequently too poor to be used in courts, the cameras are often turned off to save money and control rooms are rarely manned 24-hours-a-day. We would all feel safer with more police on the beat."

Sandwell Council's cabinet member for safer communities Councillor Simon Hackett said: "Overall recorded crime in Sandwell has fallen by more than 40 per cent since 2002/03, representing over 16,500 fewer victims.

"We don't put CCTV up to spy on people, it is to deter crime and to make people feel safer in public places.

"The feedback from neighbourhood forums is that people want CCTV as it makes them feel safer and if there is an incident, we have the evidence so we can take action."