New CCTV system installed in central Burnham to create 'safer environment'

A new CCTV system has been installed in the centre of Burnham, following concerns over a lack of cameras to help deter and catch criminals.

Burnham Parish Council has prioritised getting a new system after residents raised concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour in the village.

Buckinghamshire Council, which is also upgrading its CCTV across the county, joined forces with the parish council for the project.

After discussions between the two councils, Buckinghamshire Council agreed to install CCTV cameras in the centre of Burnham village and add them to its 24-hour monitoring network.

The parish council contributed funds to upgrade the model of the cameras being installed to strengthen both the quality and the range of coverage.

Both councils worked together to identify the best locations to install the CCTV and ensure it was operational quickly.

Burnham Parish Council chair Cllr Marie Hammon said the parish council has been concerned about anti-social behaviour in Burnham High Street for ‘some time’.

She said: “Residents have contacted me regarding feeling unsafe walking to the shops, pubs and restaurants, especially at night.

“Drug dealing has been rife with youths on bikes brazenly dealing on street corners, alleyways and our local parks."

She added: “I was spoken to by a shop manager last year, who told me that £10,000 worth of goods were stolen in her shop in the previous month by shoplifters.

“We are looking forward to a safer environment as we have been active in introducing CCTV coverage, more defibrillators and bleed kits into the High Street.

“Our residents should therefore feel more secure in future and enjoy a better quality of village life that they all deserve.”

She added: “We are confident that this project will contribute significantly to crime prevention and, perhaps even more importantly, to the sense of well-being and confidence in our village.”

Cllr Hammon said that Buckinghamshire Council’s recognition of some of the needs of the village was ‘very welcome and appreciated’.

Within a couple of days of installing the new CCTV system, footage from the cameras was being used by the police to investigate crime in the area.

The parish council will be carefully monitoring the impact of the CCTV and considering options to further extend it in the future.

Steve Bowles, Buckinghamshire Council's cabinet member for communities, said: "Buckinghamshire Council is delighted to be working in partnership with Burnham Parish Council on this important project.

"These latest installations form part of a county-wide digitalisation programme aimed at modernising our CCTV systems and ensuring cameras are allocated to priority areas based on crime, disorder, and anti-social behaviour data.

"This collaboration supports efforts to improve public spaces and address local safety concerns."