ARE WICK GOING TO GET CCTV CAMERAS OR NOT?

[Anonymous]

I just want to make a suggestion. I think they should put CCTV cameras up around Wick like the have done in Thurso. Or can Wick not afford it. They probably cant. Thats why Wick is so boring because they dont have enough money for stuff. They should put Cameras up before kick the door night so the police can keep an eye on people.

[linzy222]

That is a good point, why doesn't wick have them?

They need it more coz if u notice in the paper every week there is always some1's car getting damaged and the police r looking for witnesses, and that was even before thurso got the cctv installed there was more damage done in wick than thurso, coz when thurso got them i thought about it then, why didn't wick get them coz they need it more than thurso!!

[Mr P Cannop]

try contacing the Wick Community Council about this ??

[Anonymous]

Does The Wick Council have an email address, I dont really want to phone them because im only 13 years old. They have CCTV cameras up at the high school so why cant they get them all over Wick. Im sure Wick has got more money than the high school to buy cameras.

[Mr P Cannop]

ask Bill Fernie to ask the Wick CC for you ??

[gravedigga]

Here's their website

http://www.highland.gov.uk

[Bill Fernie]

Let's start by remembering that Wick is part of Highland Council and that the same organisation put the cameras into Wick High school via one particular budget. Wick does not have a separate budget of its own - nor does Caithness. That disappeared with the demise of Caithness District Council. Funding is not a simple matter any longer.

Finance may come from any number of sources including council tax. But council tax is only one part but the part that the council has control over how much may be charged. The bulk comes from a block grant from the central government. Over many years this side of things has been severely squeezed and has not kept pace with inflation. The result is for councils that they either have to spend less or put up council tax. To some extent they have done both. But there are many other sources of funding that may play a part. Government for example can put funds towards particular aspects of life say in social work, policing, roads, water, trasnport and much more. Even the National Lotterry figures in local finances in providing funds for many projects such as libraries and more.

To some extent the problem is always going to be about money. A few years back when Thurso and Wick were looking at cameras thurso opted to have them and wick decided not to have them. Now that the feelings about them may have changed the money is not immediately there to put them in. Howver there is always a flip side and once they do go in they are likiely to be much better than the ealrier models. Wick's new Police station has been set up ready to instal a camera suite. But money alone for one item may not be the whole answer. Cameras require someone to check what is being looked at and a police officer may be expensive so in many areas volunteers actually do the work. whoever does look at the CCTV cameras there is still a cost. It might be that more police on the ground are partr of the answer to problems and in Caithness there have been recent increases in manpower. These wil almost certainly have an affect but it takes time and as ever the most important part of ensuring safety of the community lies with people themselves helping the police with information by reporting crimes etc.

Wick probably will get cameras like so many other places including Thurso where an upgrade of the current system will soon take place. Cameras are certainly on the council agenda but everything has to be prioritised. A major project coming forward is the Heat and Power scheme for Wick whcih will start in Pultenytown and fi successsful spread out acros Wick and hopefully be the forerunner of one for Thurso, Lybster and Halkirk. the initial investment is heading towards £3.5 million but will have huge benefits for local pople who join the scheme reducing heating bills downto an estimated £4 per week to heat a whole house. It will create jobs in the area and is carbon neutral. The money is coming from a range of sources including the council Warm and Dry scheme. so money can sometimes be found for Wick. But it is not as simple as saying lets reduce the Heat and Power scheme and put in CCTV. If only it were life would be much easier.

But we hear what you say so watch this space.

Thanks for the comments.

[tides of pentland firth]

I thought 'Kicky Doory Night' was a vital part of a teenagers education.