Wandsworth is to increase the number of CCTV cameras covering its estates and town centres to more than 500.

To cut crime and increase efficiency, the council is also to bring its separately monitored Housing and Technical Services camera systems together on one site at a cost of £400,000.

The new control centre will be at the Frogmore Depot, next to Armoury Way. Currently there are around 300 council cameras in the borough a number expected to increase by at least 200 by 2003.

The move was approved on Wednesday by councillors on the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny committee.

The council has spent more than £2million on new CCTV installations in recent years and cameras around Clapham Junction will be used to provide vital back-up for the new town centre patrols set to start in April.

Routine monitoring of council systems is currently leading to an average two arrests a day and a recent special operation using cameras led to 14 arrests.

Residents' surveys show CCTV is seen as the single most effective measure against crime.

Deputy council leader Councillor Maurice Heaster said: "No council in London is doing more in the fight against crime than Wandsworth.

"The borough has lost 100 police officers over the past seven years, that's why we have to make the best use of cameras to deter criminals.

"With 500 cameras this will be the biggest CCTV network of any London borough."

Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Martin Jauch said: "CCTV has proved very effective in the fight against crime in Wandsworth. It has been instrumental in arrests across the borough and we are looking forward to the merging of the two systems."

In a separate move 18 new cameras costing £200,000 and paid for by a Home Office grant, went operational on the Lennox estate in Roehampton. CCTV now covers more than 70 per cent of the estate.

November 23, 2001 10:30