CCTV to spot pests

CAMERAS could be looking down on trouble-makers in Uckfield before the year is out, it was revealed this week.

A working party has been set up by the town council to look at two separate bids received to provide CCTV cameras for the area around the civic centre.

The cameras could be up and running by Christmas after council members agreed to use money set aside this year for town security. The move has been made in a bid to tackle a 'small but determined' group of youths causing trouble in the area.

At a meeting of the town's property and personnel committee, it was revealed that four quotes had been received from companies offering to install close circuit cameras around the civic centre.

Two of these quotes were within the 10,000 included in the town council's budget for CCTV. These two companies will be invited to give a presentation and demonstration of their systems, before the working party which consists of Cllrs Hilary Cary, Stan French and Len Ashby makes their selection on the preferred bid.

Cllr Cary said: 'We have got a duty to protect our staff and the people who use this building. Christmas is coming and the drunks are going to be around.'

In a report to the committee, town clerk Ashley Serpis said it was felt necessary to install cameras at the town council-owned civic centre because of the increasing number of incidents in and around the building. He said: 'The area around the civic centre is still considered as one of the main areas where problems exist but it should also be stressed that these problems are caused by a small but determined group of youths.'

He said that up to eight cameras would be put up around the centre, one of which would be installed inside the building facing the main entrance. 'This would hopefully assist in either recognising or deterring potential trouble- makers,' he said.

The cameras would be static and would record in colour during the day but switch to a higher resolution black and white at night.

Members also agreed to put up a sign outside the civic centre which outlawed ball games and the use of skates, skateboards and cycles in the area.