WATCHET took a step closer to becoming only the second town in the district to have a publicly funded CCTV scheme last week when West Somerset Council's cabinet backed a recommendation to give £10,000 to plug a potential funding gap.

But the decision was not without controversy as a number of councillors questioned the need for a CCTV scheme in Watchet.

Others feared police jobs could be lost if the force thought it could save money by using CCTV rather than officers.

Cabinet members were told a joint bid by West Somerset Council, Watchet Town Council and Avon and Somerset police had secured a £44,000 grant from a community safety budget set up by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Sue Mountstevens.

The Watchet scheme would cost £65,000, with £44,000 from the PCC and £11,000 from a district council-held CCTV funding pot.

Cabinet members were asked to support a proposal to give up to another £10,000 towards the project to ensure the crime grant was not lost.

Cllr Chris Morgan, the lead member for Hinkley, said that while he agreed with the idea of CCTV, he was concerned there could be wider implications.

"I don't want CCTV to be seen as an alternative if Watchet, Minehead and Williton were to lose a PC or a PCSO.

"I do support the recommendation, but I just have it in the back of my mind that this could be the thin end of the wedge.

"There could be greater reliance on cameras to allow a reduction in budget by getting rid of officers," Cllr Morgan said.

Cllr Richard Lillis told members he was a volunteer CCTV monitor at Minehead police station and the cameras were simply the police force's eyes and ears on the ground and not a substitute for officers.

But former policeman Cllr David Sanders was highly critical of the proposal and said there was neither the need for CCTV in Watchet nor the money available to pay for it.

He said police figures showed there was just one crime every two days in a one-mile radius of Watchet town centre during April and, based on those statistics, Watchet Town Council should fund the shortfall, not the district council.

"In the right circumstances CCTV fine. In the wrong circumstances it can instil a fear of crime when there isn't any," Cllr Sanders said.

Cllr Lillis said he was "amazed" by Cllr Sanders' "short-sighted attitude" and added: "Just because there is no crime at the moment does not mean to say we shouldn't have cameras."

Cllr Andrew Hadley said the Minehead CCTV cameras had given police "a valuable insight" and provided security for residents.

"If this council can help Watchet, we shouldn't stand in the way," he said.

But Minehead member Cllr Mandy Chilcott disagreed and said she believed Watchet had turned down the chance to have CCTV around five years ago.

"CCTV does not stop crime, it disperses it," she told the meeting.

The final decision on whether to give the £10,000 will rest with the full council, but cabinet members did agree to recommend councillors supported the scheme, subject to Watchet Town Council agreeing to pay up to £3,000 towards running costs.

Adrian Dyer, the council's chief executive said that if a CCTV system was installed and the town council did not pay the running costs the cameras would be switched off.