People in Wangaratta’s CBD may no longer be able to go for a walk, or violently belt someone in the head, without being caught on camera.
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Newly elected councillors’ first move at Tuesday night’s meeting was to approve a trial to place a single temporary CCTV camera in the CBD.
Their decision was made easier by the fact it would not cost the city – North-East Security offered to cover the installation and monitoring during the trial.
Community wellbeing director Jaime Carroll said the cameras could help prevent crime and provide police with evidence when laying charges.
“Some of the anti-social behaviour that CCTV is designed to address is vandalism and graffiti,” she said.
“Police are comfortable with helping us finalise the data to be able to actually give us some hard statistics around the impact on crime.
“Anti-social behaviour and perception of safety are obviously harder for us to get statistics on, so our position is that we would engage in conversations with the community, now and also after the trial.”
Cr Harry Bussell said he was concerned about violence in Wangaratta’s CBD.
“I think it’s a sensational idea to do this … I strongly support it,” he said.
Cr Mark Currie proposed reducing the trial from 12 to six months so it would align with government funding opportunities.
Eastern region Superintendent Paul O’Halloran told The Border Mail before the meeting he supported installing a CCTV camera.
“I’m fairly open to it for all sorts of matters, but the primary matter for me is prevention,” he said. “It’s not just to respond to incidents, whether it be crime or public order, but it could hopefully be a deterrent.”
Police and council staff will meet on Wednesday to discuss the details, but a camera will be seen almost immediately because the start date was listed as November 2016.
If the trial worked, the council would consider applying for funding to keep cameras in the CBD permanently.
Meanwhile, former councillor Kieran Klemm expressed his concerns about a 30-hectare solar farm for North Wangaratta, granted council development approval on Friday.
He told the meeting residents in the area were worried about sun in the eyes of drivers on Wangaratta-Eldorado Road, especially with extra trucks to start appearing during development.
“I don’t think this solar farm is important enough to cost lives,” Mr Klemm said.
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