Agenda item

Resolution from the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Committee received a resolution from the Health and Wellbeing Board that requested their consideration of the previous requests made to employ CCTV cameras on the City’s bridges in order to act as a deterrent from suicide.

The Chairman asked if the funding for such cameras would be sourced from Bridge House Estates.  The Chamberlain confirmed that it would for any camera deployed on the bridges themselves, though would not for anything beyond this.

A Member noted that a camera for speeding and weight limit enforcement was deployed and run by Southwark council, and asked if this could be integrated or if it would require a separate camera to fulfil these duties.  The Commander of Operations and Security explained that deploying CCTV would require not just physical construction of the cameras, but more challengingly, would require the appropriate infrastructure to be in place to connect and receive the data.  She confirmed that the ambition would be to have this infrastructure in place in Q1 of 2019.

The Chairman asked what the trend of suicide rates was.  The Commander of Operations explained that there was a short-term decline in suicides but a plateau in the long-term.  She confirmed that there were 17 recorded in June, including attempts, not all of which were located on bridges.

The Chairman noted that CCTV provision in this regard would not simply act as a deterrent but would also provide crucial monitoring in the event that a rescue is feasible.

A Member noted that this had also been discussed by the Policy and Resources Committee approximately one year ago where it was agreed in principle.  He noted that it was surprising that it had not since been followed up.

A Member explained that the Bridge House Estate had not received rationale to warrant the funding which illustrated that the cameras would have a beneficial effect.  She explained that perhaps it was an area that needed to be reconsidered given that a year had now passed.  The Deputy Chairman noted that he recalled a business case that demonstrated the effectiveness of infrared/heat-seeking cameras that aided rescue by reducing response times.  He also noted that another rationale that centred around counter-terrorism was likely valid.  He suggested that it might be useful to re-circulate these arguments.  The Commander of Operations and Security reiterated that without the required back-office infrastructure, such cameras could not be implemented.

The Chairman requested that a report be provided at the next meeting.  He also requested that a note of the Committee’s discussion be sent in response to the Health and Wellbeing Board. (3)

The Chairman enquired as to whether the POCA reserve fund, of which 10% had been promised to the Safer City Partnership, could be used to this end.  The Commissioner noted this and explained that some of this funding been previously committed and that there were in any case guidelines as to what POCA funding could be spent on.

The Chairman requested that a representative of CoLP regularly attend the Health and Wellbeing Board meetings. (4)

RESOLVED – That the report be received.