We spoke to Tim Barnes, Prospective MP for the Cities of London & Westminster, which includes St. John's Wood, about the opportunity to work with the Met to provide comprehensive CCTV in and around the High Street. Tim explains,
"On a beautiful sunny day in St John's Wood when you need a hat and dark glasses just to be able to get away from all of this brightness, it's perhaps hard to imagine that at some points it's dark and dreary and into the winter when people don't feel safe.
"In fact, right the way through out of the year, there is an unfortunately high level of crime.
"Mobile phone snatchers, anti-social behaviour, things that have led local businesses and residents to want to see more CCTV.
"I'm delighted that the local Conservative councillors have managed to work in order to bring in a new form of CCTV that's going to connect right the way back to the Met Police.
"Now, the council would like to bring in a CCTV service, and that's great, but it's one that can only link back to a council-run control room.
"It won't have a direct link to the police in the way that these cameras will.
"So we think that there are good CCTV solutions that are cheaper and more effective than the one that the Council is putting forward, and indeed, these are the ones that are supported by the Metropolitan Police.
"So it's yes to CCTV cameras backed by the Met and no to the expensive, less effective solution that Westminster City Council are putting forward."
