CCTV pilot approved to go-ahead in Birmingham's crime 'hotspots'

A 12-month pilot plan has been authorised by Birmingham's city council, and CCTV cameras will be installed in tower blocks.

Its aim is to help residents feel safer, with the cameras to be installed across specific "hotspots" that have experienced significant crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB).

It would also provide evidence to support a possible wider roll-out of CCTV across council-owned high-rises.

"This is a pilot and we need, through the course of the 12 months, to start looking at our long-term strategies around roll-out for CCTV," said Guy Chaundy, from Birmingham City Council.

The locations for cameras were chosen using crime data, accounts from tenants, and data from the authority's internal systems around anti-social behaviour reports.

The council decommissioned all CCTV in 2014, because of the cost involved in upgrading the system at the time.

Instead of CCTV, night security and secure entry systems were added to all high-rise blocks.

A report on the proposals said the use of CCTV beyond the pilot could involve introducing a service charge of £1.97 per week.

More than 1,160 tenancies would be affected by the pilot programme.

However, the council acknowledged the difficulties many tenants and leaseholders were facing, such as the high cost of living.