Welland Park CCTV To Be Temporarily Removed After County Council Blunder
Written by HFM News on 5th September 2022
A blunder by Leicestershire County Council means CCTV cameras in Market Harborough’s Welland Park will have to be temporarily taken down.
Six cameras were installed in May as part of safety improvements by the District Council, but permission to site them on lampposts was granted in error.
A County Council spokesperson told HFM: “Harborough District Council applied to install CCTV on lampposts, with Leicestershire County Council initially granting the required licences to install these cameras.
“However, it became clear that these licences were issued in error for a type of post which cannot have these cameras installed, for both electrical and safety reasons.
“The application portal does states that no attachments will be permitted on this type of post. Nevertheless, Leicestershire County Council would like to apologise for the wrongful issuing of these permissions in the first instance.
“We will continue to work with Harborough District Council in order to ensure these cameras are installed quickly and safely”.
CCTV cameras will have to be temporarily removed
The CCTV was joint-funded by the District Council and Leicestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, through money secured from the government.
Cllr Phil King, Leader of the District Council, said: “As part of safety improvements to Welland Park, proposals were agreed by Harborough District Council to install CCTV cameras at six locations in the park.
“Unfortunately, the Council has been informed by Leicestershire County Council that streetlights in the park are unable to support the new cameras despite assurances earlier this year, following an inspection of streetlighting columns, that they were suitable for use.
“The Council is now arranging for a further survey to be undertaken and is working with the county council to ensure the cameras can be installed at the soonest opportunity.”
Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of the opposition, told HFM the matter must be addressed quickly:
