Government-funded spy cameras in Jaywick were never connected to the CCTV monitoring centre and no longer work.

News that the CCTV system set up to crack down on crime doesn't work has angered businesses and politicians.

Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (25875-6)

Three cameras were installed in Jaywick - thanks to special Government funding.

But the equipment no longer works and even if it was operational the evidence would not be permissible in court.

Three clusters of three black and white cameras were put up on the Jaywick Community Resource Centre, the post office at Tamerisk Way and on a newsagents in Broadway.

They were never linked up to Tendring Council's monitoring centre and were not maintained.

Roy Smith, member of both Essex County Council and Tendring Council, wants cash to be found to replace the cameras and integrate them into the system, which covers the rest of the district.

He said: "What is the point of having this equipment if it does not work, cannot be used in court and is totally out-of-date? It is completely useless in an area where we do have a reasonably high incidence of crime."

Robert Taylor, Tendring Council's portfolio holder for leisure and community, said the equipment installed in Jaywick was put up with Rural Challenge Partnership cash.

He said it was totally separate to the council's own scheme and had never been monitored in the same way.

"It is controlled by private parties and that has legal implications and means it cannot be used as evidence in court as it is not tamper-proof," he said.

Mr Taylor said that Jaywick was not included in the next two schemes for CCTV cameras but could be covered in future programmes.

Published Friday, January 17, 2003

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