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The CCTV system in Bridgend county – currently run jointly with the Vale of Glamorgan – is nearing the end of its working life. A report has been prepared for Bridgend Council’s cabinet to consider its replacement (pdf).
Between June 2017 and May 2019, the system was said to have helped the emergency services deal with up to 1,800 incidents in the town centres of Bridgend, Porthcawl, Maesteg and Pencoed.
The wider Customer Community Support Unit (CCSU) – which runs the CCTV services – also provides out-of-hours emergency cover for Bridgend Council, monitors the Rhiw Car Park, operates town centre access bollards and monitors culvert alarms (for potential flooding).
The current network of CCTV cameras is outdated and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find replacement parts, meaning some cameras have already been taken out of service.
The replacement network would be made up of high-performance wireless/internet-connected IP cameras and be backed by a new control room.
Under “Smart Town” principles, the report suggests the new cameras could potentially be used to monitor air quality, improve the management of short-term car parking spaces (i.e. real-time monitoring of free spaces and directing drivers to them via a phone app), detect things like open doors and smoke, notify the council when bins need to be emptied and be used to piggyback free public Wi-Fi.
The up-front cost will be £595,000, though it’s anticipated that annual running costs will be cut by up to £20,000 compared to the current network.
While the Police & Crime Commissioner for South Wales Police, Alun Michael (Lab) – recently re-elected for a third term – doesn’t make a financial contribution to CCTV services in the South Wales Police force area at the moment, the report says he is willing to make an ongoing contribution in the future.
