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CCTV Stakeholder Meeting 11th June 2012
Record of Meeting
Attendees
Joanna Fathers MBC
John Littlemore MBC
Andrew Simms Boots
Ivan White Federation of Small Businesses
Insp. Mark Hutcheon Police
Lynne Goodwin Medway
Vikram Sahdev Medway
Rev Jackie Cray Street Pastor
Cllr Gordon Newton Downswood Parish Council
Dennis Conyon Taxi Services
Apologies
Paul Alcock TCM
Bill Moss TCM
Stephen Dryden Marks and Spencer
Mick Westwood Staplehurst Parish Council
Teresa Irving Downswood Parish Council
1. Previous Minutes
Agreed as correct
VS confirmed an additional Virgin Broadband line will be installed to give further resilience to the Maidsafe radio link in case the BT lines go down. However for the time being there is an additional BT line so there are 2 set up in case one goes down.
2. Performance Monitoring and Feedback from Stakeholders
Medway supplied the activity figures for May and these were noted.
IW stated that (as discussed at the previous meeting) it is difficult to compare the performance monitoring figures pre and post switch over. This is due to the pre stats being focussed on all arrests and incidents, fixed penalty notices and reported shoplifters. This differs from the post transfer stats from Medway which show actual arrests.
MH asked whether the slight fall in overall incidents recorded in May was connected with the interruption in service to the Maidsafe Radio network?
VS confirmed that there was an interruption in the Maidsafe radio link. However he did not believe this had an impact on the number of details dealt with.
VS explained the Maidsafe radio link is based in Maidstone. The Medway control centre plugs into TCM’s hub. The loss of service across all of the network related to the hub rather than the link to Medway’s control centre. TCM has confirmed outside of the meeting that this fault has now been rectified.
In response to GN, VS confirmed that at any one time in the Medway CCTV control centre there are 6 operators and 1 supervisor, and on busy nights there are extra operators. For Maidstone, there are 4 screens which the operator watches which can be split and configured in any way which the operator prefers.
VS and LG suggested that members of the CCTV stakeholder group can visit the control centre by prior appointment to see how it all works.
GN asked for confirmation that all coverage of every CCTV camera has gone across to Medway including the Parish cameras. VS confirmed that every CCTV camera is being monitored, including those from the Parishes and are being recorded in real time. IW stated that the image quality has improved post relocation.
JL confirmed that some of the mobile cameras that had been supplied to Parishes may have been removed. A number of these cameras are nearly 10 years old and were no longer serviceable. Unfortunately there was no contract set in place at the time for the repair or replacement of cameras.
JC asked why the Urban Blue bus has been given a direct line for contacting Medway while street pastors have not. JL confirmed that this was an ‘in case of emergency’ line after an incident which occurred. It will not be common practice for this line to be used.
JC stated that she has not heard any complaints about the system and that generally people have not noticed any difference or drop in performance.
DC asked if desks are manned at all times. VK confirmed that the desks are manned 24/7 365 days a year. He stated that because there at 6 or more operators plus a supervisor at any one time, + more during the busy times, this makes the monitoring more robust. The number of operators available means that if there is an incident in one area, and the police/maidsafe radios are being used at the same time, a supervisor or another operator will assist on Maidstone’s desk. The operators have been cross trained so that if this happens, they are familiar with the area.
VK discussed the partnership model being put together. He hoped that this will all be in place by 1st August. VS confirmed that he hopes that all operators can remain employed in the partnership which will probably occur through the decline in hours, increase in wage and the availability of more overtime.
Date of Next Meeting; Monday 9th July 2012 at 5.00pm, Maidstone House