Commissioner launches new CCTV fund scheme to reduce crime in towns and villages

Towns and villages across the region are being helped to improve community safety, catch criminals and reduce offending through the launch of a new CCTV funding scheme. 

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is making £125,000 available in 2025/26 from the Strategic Interventions Fund to help communities most in need of additional CCTV. 

It builds on the Commissioner’s recent multi-year investments through the government’s Safer Streets funding in Torquay, Paignton, Exeter, Plymouth, Camborne, Redruth and Falmouth, and her original investment of more than £300,000 to upgrade systems and better connect to monitoring hubs. 

The scheme  will enable councils, voluntary sector groups, and some other eligible organisations to apply for a maximum of £10,000 to pay for CCTV equipment and associated infrastructure. 

The aim of the scheme is to reduce and deter crime, provide vital evidence to secure convictions of offenders, and make communities a safer place to live and work. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “The key priorities I have set out in my Police and Crime Plan are reducing anti-social behaviour, drugs and alcohol, serious violence and theft.  Funding CCTV helps towards achieving all these aims. 

“This scheme is specifically targeting towns and villages across the peninsula to support local communities to fund additional CCTV capacity as part of their efforts to combat the devastating widespread impact of crime. It can be used for new CCTV installations and to upgrade CCTV systems already in place. 

“I urge councils or equivalent organisations to submit bids for a share of the funding because CCTV is such an effective tool in helping prevent and detect crime as well as offering reassurance to residents and businesses.” 

Any town or parish council interested in applying for CCTV funding can do so by completing an Expression of Interest form by Friday, October 24. These are available by emailing PCCCommissioning@dc-pcc.gov.uk 

Applicants will be required to provide information including details of any current CCTV installation; plans for new CCTV installation/ upgrades, including monitoring arrangements; a timeline for the funding to be used; the location of the CCTV and who will benefit from the CCTV. 

Only one application from a town or parish council will be considered. The OPCC will not be responsible for ongoing CCTV maintenance or monitoring costs and the local council will need to be the primary funder of its CCTV. 

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the decision-making panel by the end of November.