Lib Dems renew call for CCTV for Mead Vale - and identify £500K to fund it

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 18th Jul 2008

Local Liberal Democrats have renewed calls for CCTV cameras to be installed in Mead Vale in the wake of the latest violent attack in the area.

Shop owner Gully Hayer, himself a Liberal Democrat Councillor representing South Worle, and a member of his staff were attacked in the early hours of Monday morning (14 July 2008) by two robbers intent on plundering the community store for cash. The shop staff bravely fought off their attackers.

Now Liberal Democrat campaigners have united in again calling on North Somerset Council to install CCTV cameras to cover the shopping arcade at the heart of the Mead Vale area.

Mike Bell, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Weston-super-Mare, said: "I was out in Mead Vale with local councillors calling on residents only last Saturday. Almost every person expressed their very real concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour in the area. Something must be done."

Local Councillors Chris Howell, Edward Keating and Gully Hayer have been leading a campaign to get CCTV cameras installed since being elected last year. So far, Conservative run North Somerset Council has refused to act.

Now Mike Bell has highlighted that only a few weeks ago North Somerset Council received a windfall payment of nearly £500,000 from the Government as a reward for performing well in the collection of business rates. Conservative leaders have already put this cash - paid under the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive scheme - into Town Hall reserves.

Mike added: "Half a million pounds of unexpected windfall cash has arrived from the Government. The money is to reward the council for collecting rates from businesses.

"What better way to spend some of that money than to fund the installation of CCTV cameras in Mead Vale to help protect local shops, businesses and residents alike? Why squirrel away the money when it can be spent to support the community in Mead Vale and other businesses across our town?"

Mike has written today to the North Somerset Council Executive Member for Community Services, Councillor Ian Peddlesden, calling on him to act urgently to provide CCTV cover for Mead Vale.