Briefing Note: Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs
TOPIC:

CCTV Provision in Edinburgh

Meeting: Meeting with Cllr Cammy Day and Minister for Community Safety and
Legal Affairs
Date: 4 June 2015
Background
The Council’s CCTV service works together with many partners, including Police
Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue, Lothian Buses, housing associations and the
Council’s own transport service and neighbourhoods, in order to prevent and
detect crime and protect public safety. It monitors 213 fixed location public
safety cameras across the city, with a further 25 mobile cameras being deployed
in support of neighbourhood priorities, where there are identified community
safety issues. The cameras are monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The CCTV Central Monitoring Facility (CMF) has access to Police “airwaves”
radios and operators are in direct radio contact with Police officers on the beat.
When operators see incidents of concern they can notify officers directly.
Operators are also listening to the Police radios. If they hear of an incident
happening, the team will direct a camera to the incident before Police arrive.
Consequently, CCTV operators give officers on the ground valuable insight into
who did what, to whom, before they arrived, and the operators can direct officers
to particular people or things e.g. victims, perpetrators and materials thrown
away by perpetrators.
When crimes have been committed and not observed on camera, the team can,
at the request of the Police, review footage recorded by cameras in the relevant
area and find suspects or vehicles based on descriptions, thus assisting with the
Police investigations.
The team also keep an eye out for the vulnerable and will direct officers, or
partners such as the Edinburgh Safezone volunteers, to any persons who appear
in difficulties in the city. The service also works closely with the Council funded
transport marshals, who provide a much valued service at a number of taxi
ranks, during the weekend.
The Council and the police have a strong working relationship, and rely on CCTV
to ensure people are kept safe in the city.
Investment in CCTV
Edinburgh has been at the forefront of community safety for many years,
including its CCTV provision. The Council fully funds the city’s public space
CCTV, unlike some other Local Authorities, who operate models in conjunction
with Police Scotland.

 The Council agreed as part of its budget motion in February 2014 to invest in the
upgrading of CCTV equipment to support the commitment of making Edinburgh a
safe place for residents and visitors alike.
To truly achieve this commitment the Council is looking to expand the scope of
the upgrade and to consider the strategic and aspirational goals of public safety
CCTV across the city. We’re looking to consult with our partners at Police
Scotland, Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams and others to gauge opinion and
develop a public space CCTV strategy which will seek to deliver a more
integrated partnership approach to CCTV provision.
The Council is seeking the support of the Scottish Government in delivering the
key goal of the project: to develop a CCTV system fit for the 21 st Century which
supports the reputation of the capital city as a safe place for residents, visitors,
and students alike.
Benchmarking / Good Practice
A benchmarking exercise, undertaken to look at other providers of Public Space
CCTV in Scotland, has identified a number of areas of good practice, including:


South Lanarkshire Council has Property CCTV monitored within the Public
Space CCTV facility;



Glasgow Community Safety has traffic management and police emergency
services operating with the Public Space CCTV facility.



East Renfrewshire Council has brought together Community Alarms and
Public Space CCTV, and has housed all 24 hour services in the one
location;



North Lanarkshire CCTV provides a fully integrated CCTV facility with over
1,000 cameras being monitored within one facility, ranging from Public
Space cameras, shopping centre security CCTV and monitoring of security
cameras in high rise blocks.



Initial discussions have been held with the Scottish Police Authority
regarding the best practice model in Glasgow, which the Council – with
partners – would seek to emulate.

The Council is also keen to participate in the ongoing national discussions being
taken forward by the Scottish Government, COSLA and other partners on the
strategic direction for public space CCTV.
Regional Hubs
The ambition for the Council’s CCTV provision is to develop an integrated model
for the city with co-location of services. This would create the basis for a centre
of excellence and the potential for a regional hub for East Scotland.

 This model would require substantial investment Initial discussions would be
around the opportunities created by the adoption of this model. If full
investment is not achievable then an incremental approach would be required
with opportunities for integration and co--location across services and with
partner agencies identified over time For further detail please Contact: