PUBLIC CCTV in Minehead town centre was now ‘largely obsolete’, councillors have been told.

The town council is being asked to approve a professional assessment of the remaining camera infrastructure before deciding whether to commission a new network.

Town clerk Ben Parker said the existing camera network was installed many years ago to address the needs and issues facing the town at that time.

Mr Parker said historically, the system was part of a wider district council initiative in West Somerset and for a time was monitored by volunteers.

However, he said: “The system is now largely obsolete, is no longer actively monitored, and is not considered to reflect either modern technological standards or current operating practices.

“The town itself has also changed significantly since the original CCTV infrastructure was installed.

“Patterns of activity, town centre usage, licensed premises, visitor movements, and areas of concern have evolved.

“Locations that may once have justified camera coverage may no longer represent the highest priority areas, while other locations may now warrant consideration.

“In parallel, advances in CCTV technology have transformed the way public space surveillance can be delivered.

“Many businesses and organisations now operate their own systems, while modern town-wide systems can be managed without the need for dedicated 24-hour monitoring, instead enabling authorised access to recordings when required for crime prevention, public safety investigations, or evidential purposes.”

Mr Parker said Somerset Council continued to support a number of legacy monitored CCTV systems across the county.

But, with budget pressures on the unitary authority, the ongoing costs were now being borne by the relevant town councils.

Mr Parker said: “It should, therefore, be assumed that any future public CCTV provision within Minehead would require local funding and ownership arrangements if it were to proceed.”

He said before any decision could be taken on possible future investment, councillors would need to know if the existing infrastructure had any residual value, if it could be adapted for modern use, what level of coverage the town now required, and what future options were available.

So, a quotation of £1,500 plus VAT had been provided by a specialist CCTV contractor to undertake an initial technical evaluation of the existing camera infrastructure.

The proposal would involve a comprehensive site survey and the production of a detailed report identifying the current configuration, condition, and future options for the network.

Mr Parker said the exercise would not commit councillors to installing, replacing, or upgrading any CCTV infrastructure.

Instead, it was intended to provide councillors with an independent assessment of need and opportunity upon which future decisions could be based.

Mr Parker said: “The resulting report would form the basis of a specification that could be developed into a tender document should the council wish to explore the installation or upgrading of CCTV infrastructure.

“Given that neither Somerset Council nor the police are likely to provide capital funding for a Minehead CCTV network, the assessment will also provide clarity on the scale of any future commitment before resources are directed toward a full procurement exercise.”