‘Roving’ CCTV plan

THERE’S to be no hiding place for Ballymena people who illegally deposit waste around the borough, write graffiti, involve themselves in anti-social behaviour or even fail to clean up their pet’s mess.

Funding of £7,500 has been secured by Council’s Environmental Services Department, through Ballymena Community Safety Partnership (CSP), for the purchase of a mobile CCTV camera.

It will be used to complement the existing civic CCTV system and be used primarily to target hotspots of illegal waste disposal etc., councillors have been told. The camera would help identify offenders and/or vehicles used and facilitate subsequent issuing of a fixed penalty, where appropriate.

It was also pointed out to councillors that signage would alert the public to the fact that CCTV images were being recorded and that the camera would be “fool proof” in a court of law. Match funding for officer time to use the camera was also offered by CSP.

Councillors agreed acceptance of the offers at their latest Environment Services Committee meeting and this was ratified at the monthly meeting of Council last Monday night.