A councillor has called for increased CCTV coverage of Nantwich town centre as another labelled it a “frightening place to be” after dark.
Cllr Stephanie Wedgwood said certain parts of the town needed increased security after reports of anti-social behaviour by groups of younger people.
This includes CCTV close to the railway station and on Love Lane car park, Nantwich Town Council was told.
“How often is CCTV being reviewed?” she said. “It’s come to my attention that some of it is not working at all.
“I know there is anti-social behaviour most nights in and around the railway station.”
Other councillors backed her motion, with Cllr Stuart Bostock calling the town centre “frightening”.
He said: “I walk around during hours of darkness with my dogs, and it is a frightening town after dark from 9pm.
“We need blanket coverage especially around the town centre. It is a frightening place with the present restrictions, it is not a nice town to walk through at night.”
Cllr Bostock also said police presence in the town at that time was sometimes “abysmal”
“There is no one there, you can’t get through to someone to talk to because it is not a manned station,” he added.
“We need to look at the police presence in the town when it is most needed.”
Cllr Peter Groves said there were also reports of problems on Love Lane car park.
“Over last month I’ve had complaints about this as well as people gathering in cars on Shrewbridge Road, revving engines and speeding.
“I very much support the motion by Cllr Wedgwood.”
One idea discussed is to bring in temporary CCTV cameras targeting certain “hotspots”.
Cllr John Statham said some of the infrastructure for CCTV coverage on Love Lane was already in place, but it will still cost £7,500 to set up.
“CCTV on station platforms should be a Transport for Wales responsibility to cover that area,” he added.
“There is also a problem with lighting in the town. Many have said it is very dimly lit. Last winter I walked around and found 25-30 streetlights not working,” he added.
“It’s one thing having more CCTV, but another if we can’t see what we are looking at. We need to take this up with Cheshire East Council.”
Town clerk Samantha Roberts said she would bring more information back on costs, locations and other options such as temporary cameras.
“The CCTV manager has been excellent and responsive in initial discussions,” she said.
The area below Fairfax bridge most definitely needs cameras around and underneath as that is where drug deals/antisocial behaviour seem to happen, even in broad day light. It’s a regular occurrence that a single male teen is hanging around waiting for a deal and this seems to be on a rota of teens who swap.ive seen this with my own eyes. Even reported it to a Community Support officer who was on his bike along there last year just after I saw a deal take place. There’s always drug paraphernalia on the ground around those benches which isn’t great when out with curious children. The river area is a crime hotspot that isn’t monitored and it’s not being dealt with. It’s not always town centres that are the area where these crimes happen. Out if sight areas like these are used. The town isn’t frightening but it’s not nice when people do feel intimidated by gangs if teens with nothing to do. Youth Clubs? Whatever happened to them! Funding again, that’s what!
I don’t think all young people should be tarred with the same brush, most just want to meet their friends without causing any harm, but there is a very small minority that revel in making trouble and these are the ones that the police should single out. It would be impossible to light every last corner of the town but I think we do have the right to feel safe in Nantwich and a decent police presence would be much appreciated. CCTV would go some way to helping but this works only in conjunction with proper policing and consultation with the public. There isn’t a town in Britain without a few bad apples but wasn’t it ever so?
The dim streetlighting is solely the fault of Cheshire East who replaced streetlights with poor LED ones. LED lights are great, if you buy the right ones, but CEC has chosen ones which put out poor levels of light.
They dont light the footpaths well and I was told by CEC streetlighting is intended to light the road not the footpath which is stupid. Cars have headlights it is pedestrians which need the light. As usual complaining to CEC gets you nowhere.