Highland Council accused over possibility of bringing more CCTV to Nairn
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PLANS to extend CCTV coverage in Nairn are just a pre-cursor to introducing compulsory parking charges, a community council chairwoman has claimed.
Sheena Baker has accused Highland Council of running roughshod over local opinion and not engaging properly with communities.
In a strongly-worded letter to the local authority, shared with the Courier, she said the first Nairn West and Suburban Community Council had heard about a review of CCTV in the town was in an email from local councillor Peter Saggers on September 3, which called for responses within 11 days.
“We were told that Nairn BID had been consulted and it appears the community councils, who are statutory consultees, have only been contacted purely as an afterthought,” she said. “Nairn BID, I should add, is not a statutory consultee. It’s ridiculous.
“We had similar issues over consultations with Sandown and the Lochloy rail crossing where we had to demand more time.”
Earlier this year Highland Council issued a statement from Nairn area leader Councillor Tom Heggie stating that funds from car parking at the Links – currently being collected on a voluntary basis – could be used to help fund CCTV in Nairn.
Cllr Heggie later denied making such a statement.
“I think it’s quite clear and it’s not too difficult to put two and two together,” Mrs Baker said. “We see that clearly the council has been thinking about expanding CCTV, and covering the Links car park with CCTV would help monitor vehicles using it. Despite local opinion to the contrary I think it’s inevitable they are planning to make the current parking charges compulsory.”
In a letter to councillors and the Nairn area manager, she said: “CCTV is an important issue. It can be complex to manage and monitor; and it is expensive. It is right that the community should be properly and fully consulted. But we are somewhat surprised and disappointed at the lack of prior briefing and the short notice.
"Your request – and the two-week deadline – is neither realistic nor acceptable.”
She added: “We were puzzled by the apparent urgency and unreasonable deadline. While there have been incidents over the years where CCTV might have played a useful detection or deterrent role, we are not aware of any sudden or disproportionate rise in criminal activity. This has raised questions about the motivation for the survey.
“If the matter of CCTV coverage is indeed to be pursued we therefore look forward to the opportunity to provide input into the preparatory work, to assist with the canvassing of local views, and to offering considered responses.
“We formally request that this consultation is extended to October 31.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said they were “assessing options to upgrade CCTV”, adding: “We are engaging with police and stakeholders to gain helpful feedback from the community, however this is not through a statutory consultation.”
