Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

APPENDIX 1

Mansfield District Council

Strategy for Public Space Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

2013-2016

Version control 1. January/Feb 2013 Internal updates Kate Payling Lesley Reece Lorraine Dryden 2. July 2013 Internal updates Kate Payling Lesley Reece 3. September 2013 Internal updates Kate Payling Contents

1.0 Introduction 3

2.0 Aims and Key Objectives 4

3.0 Current Position 6

4.0 Priorities 8

4.1 Increased efficiency & Income Generation 4.2 Operational Effectiveness 4.3 Effective Partnerships with Nottinghamshire Police 4.4 Customer Relationships 4.5 Marketing, Communication & Consultation 4.6 Performance Management 4.7 Protecting Council Property & Employees 4.8 Expand CCTV control room contribution to community safety

5.0 Operational Requirements 14

6.0 Monitoring Delivery of Strategy 16

Appendices to the Strategy

1 Camera Locations 17

2 1. Introduction and Background

1.1 This report provides a strategic plan for development of Mansfield District Council’s (The Council) Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) scheme for the three year period from April 2013 to March 2016.

1.2 A CCTV scheme in Mansfield was first established in 1996, in response to the retail sector’s requirement for assistance in regenerating the town centre of Mansfield. The initial scheme comprised of 16 fully functional cameras and employed one manager and six part time CCTV Operators.

1.3 Public space CCTV has expanded since its introduction and as at April 2013, there are 151 cameras monitored in the Council’s CCTV control room at the Civic Centre. The most recent list of camera numbers and their locations is attached (see Appendix 1).

1.4 In addition to monitoring the Council’s Public Space CCTV Scheme across Mansfield, the Council also provides a paid for CCTV monitoring service for a small number of partners and businesses.

1.5 This Strategy does not provide information on procedures, policies and processes for handling data, operational matters or technical details. Details of these can be found in the following documents:

 CCTV Codes of Practice Policy Document (Last update January 2013)  CCTV Codes of Practice Operator Procedural Guide (Last update January 2013)  CCTV Operator Guidance Notes (Last update January 2013)

1.6 Public Space CCTV is governed by a legislative framework which Includes:

 Data Protection Act 1998  Crime and Disorder Act 1998  RIPA 2000  Environmental Protection Act 1990  Human Rights Act 2000  Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

Under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 a new surveillance code of practice has been developed which Local Authorities as a relevant authority “have to have regard for”. The code provides guidance on the appropriate and effective use of surveillance camera systems providing 12 guiding principles of good practice.

3 2. Aims and Key Objectives

2.1Reducing crime and disorder is a corporate priority for the Council. The aim of the CCTV scheme is to contribute to creating safer town centre areas and neighbourhoods for local communities, visitors and businesses. For those areas covered by CCTV cameras and monitored by the Council’s CCTV service, specific aims are to:-

 reduce the fear of crime and to reassure the public  maintain public order and reduce nuisance behaviour  assist in the general management of town centres  deter, prevent and detect criminal activities and behaviour  protect the environment  aid in the identification, apprehension and prosecution of offenders

2.2The Council recognises that significant resources are required to provide a CCTV service. The Council supports provision of a CCTV core service in Mansfield in achieving the above aim. Additionally it aims to ensure that Mansfield’s CCTV service operates in the most efficient and effective way possible, providing value for money.

Mansfield CCTV Core Service: A Definition The Mansfield CCTV core service comprises schemes within the District of Mansfield which are local authority owned and managed including:  Car Parks  Mansfield Town Centre scheme  Mansfield Woodhouse Town Centre scheme  Warsop Town Centre scheme  Public Parks and Open Spaces  Mansfield District Council property and buildings

2.3In providing a CCTV service, the provision of monitoring services to partners and businesses will only be undertaken if it increases overall efficiency and if there is no increased burden for Mansfield’s taxpayers over and above providing the core service as defined above.

2.4To achieve the above aims, there are a number of key objectives for the Council’s CCTV service as follows:

 Increase service efficiency including income generation  Ensure operational effectiveness  Maintain effective partnership working with Nottinghamshire Police and measure satisfaction with the service  Manage customer relationships and measure customer satisfaction

4  Marketing, communications and consultation  Protect Council property and employees  Increase contribution to community safety including environmental crime issues  Protecting the environment

Achievement of the above key objectives forms the priorities for the CCTV Service and more information is included in Section 4 of this Strategy.

5 3. Current Position

3.1 The Council owns, manages and maintains the CCTV system. The service operates and is fully monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a full maintenance programme for all Mansfield District Council owned cameras. This maintenance programme is valid until October 2014 (a new contract is being sourced through a joint procurement process).

3.2 The CCTV system is a modern digital recording system. The majority of the system was upgraded and digitalised in October 2007.

3.3 The service is managed on a daily basis by the Operations Manager, Community Safety, with assistance from 1 full time Senior Operator, 9 part time monitoring staff. The Control Room is currently staffed by a minimum of one CCTV Operator at all times. Staffing is increased during peak periods of activity, for example Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

3.4 The beneficiaries of the CCTV service are Mansfield communities including local people, visitors and businesses. The main users of the CCTV system are Nottinghamshire Police. Police Command and Control, proactively resource incidents in the monitored areas and investigating officers interrogate recorded footage on a daily basis, to help detect crimes.

3.5 The CCTV service provides a monitoring service for Mansfield District Council as well as other organisations and individual businesses which operate within the District. It works in partnership with A Division of Nottinghamshire Police in ensuring incidents observed by the CCTV operators are brought to the attention of Police Control Room and provides an immediate response to police requests to monitor areas and people

3.6 The CCTV service collects data relating to incidents observed and recorded by CCTV and those resulting in an arrest. Comprehensive monitoring data is available to partners and customers and weekly incident data is circulated. Information can be supplied upon request for any specified time period. The system results will be published at least annually at the financial year end.

3.7 During 2012, CCTV Operators logged 7564 Incidents resulting in 1127 arrests. There were 941 Requests to View footage, hosted and facilitated by the CCTV Team.

3.8 Working with individual police officers, in order to assist them in identifying incidents, is a key task for the CCTV monitoring staff and can often be a slow, time consuming activity depending upon the timescales required to be viewed. Viewing is now carried out by a dedicated police CCTV volunteer who is managed by Nottinghamshire

6 Police, in response to enquiries made by police officers working on cases.

Members of the public are recruited to be a CCTV volunteer viewer and are vetted in accordance with the Police guidelines for non police personnel vetting procedures. They are tasked to view footage in specific areas and at specific times and work mutually agreed hours in order to evenly spread the workload. Their specific duties include interrogating recorded footage to examine it for evidence that may help support or bring about a criminal prosecution.

3.9Mansfield District Council owns 8 deployable cameras. These are cameras that can be deployed anywhere throughout the District, to allow the Council and the Police to effectively address crime and anti-social behaviour issues within the main town centre areas. However technologies have advanced in the past few years limiting their use. The requirement for deployables will be considered in the review of the system in readiness for procurement in 2014

3.10 The CCTV service is subject to review under the Change 2 programme which aims to find £5,000,000 ongoing savings over the next 4 years to bridge the gap between current expenditure and income. The Council is reviewing all its services with CCTV being one of the first and options will be explored for how the service might be delivered in the future which create efficiency savings.

4.0 Priorities

The following are key priority areas for development during the lifetime of the strategy and a delivery plan has been developed which details how they will be progressed.

4.1 Increased service efficiency and income generation

4.1.1 It is necessary to recognise that the service is unlikely to ever become totally self financing, and ongoing revenue financing will be required from the Council for the system to remain operational and effective.

4.1.2 The CCTV system generated an income for the Council of over £200,000.00 in the year to 31 March 2012. The annual running costs were £520,000.00 in the same period, with income covering approximately 40% of costs.

4.1.3 In 2013/14 income will reduce significantly due to the loss of a major contract. A review of the system’s effectiveness undertaken in 2012 found that the number of cameras we operate could be reduced, though there are sensitivities which will need to be managed if this course of action is taken. This will be considered as part of the Change 2 review.

7 4.1.4 Income generated from internal and external contacts will continue to contribute to the annual costs of operating, maintaining and monitoring the CCTV system. Income generation is an important objective to offset the costs to the Council of providing a CCTV service.

4.1.5 Further development and improvement of the CCTV system will balance the need to meet the changing needs of the beneficiaries of the CCTV system, advances in technology and the requirement for replacement with the need to minimise the cost of providing a CCTV service to the Council.

4.1.6 Current methods for setting charges for monitoring services have been in place for some years. The current approach will be reviewed to ensure the council’s CCTV monitoring services offer demonstrable value for money. Options are being explored for alternative approaches to how charges are set for both internal and external customers which will be subject to delegated decision during 2013/14.

4.1.7 The CCTV service is a major user of energy and there is potential to make savings and contribute to improving the council’s carbon footprint leading to a positive impact on the climate change agenda. All CCTV systems and equipment including control room monitors will be reviewed and a cost benefit analysis undertaken to ensure that the most efficient systems are in use. This will include wireless technology.

4.1.8 Working with council services such as Regeneration as well as groups such as local trade associations we are looking to develop new business opportunities. At present we have a number of potential new customers who will require advice in the planning stages on the number and types of cameras and future monitoring services.

4.2 Operational Effectiveness

4.2.1 To ensure the CCTV system is as effective as possible, a comprehensive review of the system, including camera use by location and incident, has been completed. This information will be updated and reviewed on an annual basis by the Operations Manager and other key stakeholders. This data will help the Council and partner agencies to make informed decisions regarding the CCTV system. The review data is available to support planned upgrades or other changes to systems.

4.2.2 CCTV Operators review camera images live and in real time. Cameras are connected to the Civic Centre by a network of fibre optic connections. Fibre optic is currently the preferred option because of the clarity and reliability of the signal produced. However, technology is advancing at such a rate that other options, although not yet as reliable as fibre, are emerging with many local authorities recognising the benefits and making the transition to wireless. These alternative

8 solutions are being explored to ensure the system remains as effective, flexible and cost-effective as possible.

4.2.3 In addition to exploring alternative solutions to fibre optics, there is also a requirement to work with CCTV network providers to identify the potential for increasing the flexibility of the CCTV system and increasing areas which can be covered by the CCTV system beyond its current infrastructure.

4.2.4 The potential to pass recorded footage directly from the Civic Centre to existing Police Control Room/CCTV secured networks allowing Police Officers to view incidents from their own work stations is an available option. However there are resource implications and Nottinghamshire Police will need to conduct a cost benefit analysis. Should this project be something Nottinghamshire Police wish to progress, the council will provide support.

4.2.5 There is an Automatic Number Plate Recognition System linked to the CCTV system which enables vehicles to be identified that may be of interest to police, eg not taxed or insured or known to be involved in/connected to a crime. The ANPR system is used when requested by the police.

4.2.6 19 cameras have audio capabilities which provides a useful tool for CCTV Operators to directly instruct/advise/warn members of the community that they are being monitored, therefore providing an immediate intervention. In times of austerity when resources are limited, this tool potentially resolves issues without the need for officers (Police or council) to attend in person.

4.3 Effective Partnership with Nottinghamshire Police

4.3.1 CCTV plays a unique role in preventing and detecting crime, particularly in relation to alcohol and drug related crime and disorder in town centres and vehicle crime in car parks.

4.3.2 In order to maintain an effective CCTV service, a co-operative and responsive relationship between the Mansfield CCTV service and Nottinghamshire Police is critical. A Senior police officer is designated with responsibility for CCTV.

4.3.3 A Memorandum of Understanding has been developed, to incorporate all aspects of the partnership working arrangements. This includes an effective communications strategy, to ensure that police staff and officers, including Safer Neighbourhood Teams in A Division, receive timely information about incidents in all the areas monitored by the CCTV control room and provide an appropriate response to ensure confidence in the service is maintained.

9 4.3.4 There is a police volunteer scheme which recruits CCTV viewers to assist with directed viewings to identify potential offences and offenders. This is dependent on police resourcing the scheme but will be supported by the council.

4.3.5 The CCTV section receives regular, sensitive, up to date, live intelligence from the Police on a daily basis. This information assists the CCTV team to prioritise and manage their daily workload.

4.3.6 Mansfield CCTV has introduced a customer feedback form which the Police Officer is asked to complete when they request to view an incident. This process was introduced in 2012 and key findings are extremely positive with the overall majority of officers saying how important the CCTV service is within their investigations and the excellent service they receive from the CCTV team. We will continue to monitor satisfaction and feedback and use it to improve our services.

4.4 Customer Relationships

4.4.1 Mansfield CCTV service aims to provide an excellent, value for money service to its customers. In order to do this, there is a need to establish effective working relationships. The council requests all customers to designate senior officers in their organisations with responsibility for CCTV.

4.4.2 Contracts and/or Service Level Agreements are important in agreeing the service to be delivered and clarifying expectations from each party in the arrangement. A Contract/Service Level Agreement will be agreed and signed whenever a new contract is agreed and will be reviewed in a timescale as agreed in the contract/SLA.

4.4.3 The Operations Manager Community Safety will provide regular opportunities for Customers to visit the Control Room, and maintain customer relationships and dialogue to ensure that Customers are aware of the service being provided and notified of any legislative or operational issues which may require a change to the system or service.

4.5 Marketing and Communications & Consultation

4.5.1 The Council will ensure that partners, customers and communities are informed about the effectiveness of the CCTV system. There is a need to publicise the service and demonstrate value for money in order to maintain public confidence in and support for the system. This is also a requirement of the new Code of Practice.

4.5.2 There are challenges in promoting the services and successes of the CCTV service due to the sensitive nature of the work carried out. One option is to rely on successful outcomes of prosecutions that have been through the Court process. This can take several months or even years

10 and good news stories can very often be old stories. It is desirable for the council to be provided with relevant information by partners in the wider criminal justice system, particularly Police, Crown Prosecution Service and Courts in order to make the most of every opportunity.

4.5.3 Marketing and communications activities will be developed in conjunction with the council’s Public Relations section to incorporate innovative ways of informing all stakeholders about the CCTV service’s contribution to improving community safety.

4.5.4 It is a requirement of the Code of Practice to canvas public opinion about the CCTV service provided and the resources needed to provide it. The Service will work with the council’s Community Engagement Service in order to test public opinion about the CCTV Service.

4.6 Protect Council property and employees

4.6.1 Securing all property owned and maintained by the Council and protecting council employees has been identified as a priority for the CCTV service. This currently includes the Civic Centre and Vale Road Depot.

4.6.2 In order to effectively tackle crime and anti-social behaviour within the Council owned Parks in Mansfield, and to tackle the fear of crime, there is a desire to extend public space CCTV cameras to cover more public parks within the district. This will assist in reducing levels of anti-social behaviour occurring in public spaces, and will enhance the general security within the parks. However, this requirement, whilst desirable, has significant cost implications which will be balanced against the need to find efficiencies.

4.6.3 A review of public space CCTV coverage in parks will be completed, informed by crime and disorder trends, whilst priority will also be given to improving CCTV coverage in those parks incurring the highest financial costs as a result of criminal damage.

4.6.4 Potential for installing help points which are linked to cameras and the CCTV Control Room, initially to protect lone workers in vulnerable areas will be explored. This has potential, if viable, to be made available for members of the public.

4.7 Increase CCTV contribution to community safety including environmental crime issues

4.7.1 The CCTV service already plays an important role in improving community safety in areas covered by CCTV cameras. The service is well engaged in local partnership working and is an active member in the Community Safety Partnership, Mansfield Partnership Against Crime (MPAC). The CCTV Control Room has direct radio links with

11 Police in A Division and the Neighbourhood Warden Service. There is also a radio-link with Shop-watch and Pub-watch.

4.7.2 The CCTV service will contribute to the problem solving approach by the MPAC, by providing intelligence and information and responding to specific issues at local Tasking & Co-ordinating meetings or any other appropriate meetings established to reduce crime and disorder. This may include advising on and/or leading on new camera/scheme developments.

4.7.3 An Antisocial Behaviour reporting line is established in the CCTV Control Room to allow communities to call in ‘out of hours’ and report low level antisocial behaviour problems to be passed to Neighbourhood Wardens. As part of the CCTV strategy we will be reviewing the effectiveness of this service and look at ways it can be improved.

4.7.4 Weekly updates on the operation of the CCTV system are provided to the Mansfield Town Centre Meeting by a representative of the CCTV team to ensure that partners are aware of the services provided and to have an opportunity for the service to respond to the needs and concerns of local businesses and other partner agencies.

4.7.5 To help meet the council’s priority of protecting the environment we will introduce a ‘Name and Shame’ campaign targeting those who do not clean up after their dogs as well as those who litter. The process uses CCTV to capture footage of people deliberately littering and dog-fouling and circulation of images including to local press to secure public help in identifying ‘offenders’.

5.0 Operational Requirements

5.1 By adopting the approach outlined in this Strategy to the maintenance of existing and introduction of future CCTV systems, the Council’s CCTV service will ensure that images of sufficiently high quality are collected. It is recognised that a transition from using fibre optic to wireless may result in some loss of quality but the council will strive to continue to provide excellent levels of service in preventing and detecting crimes within the areas covered. To ensure the continuance of a successful CCTV service there are a number of resource and partnership implications outlined in this section.

5.2 Many of the cameras in Mansfield are between 10 and 15 years old and are due for replacement. The CCTV control room is also using outdated technology and requires upgrading. These areas, together with the transmission solutions are being considered as part of the Change 2 Review.

5.3 The public space CCTV camera surveillance system has a full maintenance agreement in place, valid until October 2014. The agreement covers all equipment faults and includes two preventative

12 maintenance checks each year. It does not cover malicious damage. Damage caused maliciously, would need to be rectified at the expense of Mansfield District Council. The procurement process for a new equipment maintenance contract is in preparation.

5.3 The fibre transmission solutions, for relaying the signals from the camera back to the CCTV Control Room in real time and without latency (we see what happens when it happens) is maintained by two suppliers, BT and Virgin Media. The costs for transmission services and ongoing maintenance of these fibres, is included in the annual CCTV budget. Wireless technologies, if introduced, will negate the requirement for the majority of the fibre optic contracts. However, licence agreements would be required. This is being fully explored in the Change 2 Review and any agreed procurement.

5.4 The recording of all CCTV signals received is completed in a digital format. All new cameras and schemes introduced must be compatible with the existing equipment. Advice can be obtained by contacting the Operations Manager, Community Safety.

5.6 When the purchase of new equipment is being considered, taking into account the high costs involved, a full maintenance programme is being incorporated to ensure reliability and sustainability after the initial twelve month warranty has expired. Experience in other areas, has shown that without a maintenance programme, cameras fall into disrepair.

5.7 Any public space CCTV camera must have the full support of the Police in order for them to attend incidents relating to that location. Therefore, the approval of the Divisional Commander for A Division should be sought when consideration is being given to the introduction of new camera/s.

6.0 Monitoring delivery of the Strategy and Action Plan

6.1 This Strategy is supported by an Action Plan which details how the objectives will be met. The Action Plan is constantly being updated to reflect new developments and ongoing activities.

6.2 The CCTV service reports to the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Public Protection.

6.3 An annual progress report will be published on the council’s website and circulated to all stakeholders.

13 14 Appendix 1 (to the CCTV Strategy)

Schedule of Public Space CCTV Cameras monitored by Mansfield District Council Correct as at September 2013

Mansfield Mansfield Car Parks Individual Schemes

1 Market Place 30. Toothill Road – top 210 Millennium 2 Leeming Street 31 St. Peters Way 211 Millennium 3 Clumber Street 32 Toothill Road 212 Chad Offices 4 Westgate 33 Toothill Lane 213 ISDN Line – i-centre 5 Top Westgate 34 Toothill Lane 214 Train Station Foyer 6 Service Rd. D 35 Church Lane 216 Sibthorpe St. 7 Quaker Way 36 Watermeadows 217 Oakland Road 8 Bus Station 37 Watermeadows 91 Junction 27 9 Sutton Road 38 Grove Street 92 Junction 27 10 Stockwell Gate 43 Four Seasons Lifts/Car Parks x16 (static) 11 Market Street 44 Walkden Street Lifts/Car Parks x16 (static) 12 Midland Station 13 Albert Street 14 Church Side 15 Bridge Street 16 Church Street 17. St. Peters Way Ring Rd/ Woodhouse Road 18 Walden Street 19. St. Peter’s Retail Park 20 St. Peter’s Retail Park 39 Station Road 40 Quaker Way 41 Sainsbury’s Nottingham Road

122 Babworth Court (wireless) 123 Babworth Court (wireless)

22 cameras

Mansfield Woodhouse Warsop Civic Centre 69 Sunnydale Island 45 and 46 Civic Centre-in 70 Priory Square 101 High St. opposite Car Civic Centre- out Park 71 Grove Way 102 Sherwood St 47 Civic Reception Desk 72 Oxclose Lane 103 Burns Lane 48 Back Door 73 R/Hood School 104 A60 junction Church 49 Civic Car Park St 74 Lawrence Avenue 105 A60 junction Hetts 50 Civic Car Park Lane 75 Station Street 106 Carr Lane A60 51 Civic –Planners corridor 76 Swan Lane 107 Top High Street 52 Civic – Planners corridor 77 Vale Road 53 Civic Cashiers 78 Church Street 54 Civic Centre Front 79 Vale Road 91 Junction 27 (M1) 55 Civic Centre service Yard

15 80 Park Road 92 Junction 27 (M1) 81 Parkers Lane These are currently subject to new SLA yet to be defined. 82 High Street 83 Albert Square 84 New Mill Lane 85 Welbeck Road 86 Church Hill

NCC Robin Hood Line Deployables 109 Sutton Bus station 110 Bulwell 220 162 Mansfield Bus Station 111 Hucknall 221 163 Mansfield Bus Station 112 Hucknall 222 164 Mansfield Bus Station 113 Newstead 223 165 Mansfield Bus Station 114 Kirkby 224 166 Mansfield Bus Station 115 Kirkby 225 167 Mansfield Bus Station 116 Sutton 226 168 Mansfield Bus Station 117 Sutton 227 169 Mansfield Bus Station 118 Mansfield 170 Mansfield Bus Station 119 Man/Wood

For Operational Purposes only:

The number corresponds to the actual camera number