Borough’s CCTV network gets digital switch over

13 December 2023

Cheshire East Council’s CCTV is being upgraded to provide a wireless, safer and vastly improved public safety network across the borough.

The network and control room has been modernised over the last two years to meet technological advances and will deliver financial savings over time through efficiencies in the delivery of the service and increased opportunities to offer services to new and existing customers.

The switch from an analogue to digital network began in Disley with Sandbach, Middlewich, Congleton, Holmes Chapel and Alsager near completion. The roll out will continue across all other town centres and is expected to be completed by February 2024.

The significant benefits of the system are that the network:

•   provides safer communities, especially to women travelling at night-time;
•  increases the safety of the public at major events, particularly relevant in the lead up to the festive season;
•  enables the council to provide a better service to partners, not just the police;
• improved efficiency and effectiveness of camera control for our operators;
• provides a cost saving as the council is no longer reliant on the hire of physical cables; and
• provides a higher resolution, quality of image and increased zoom levels, enabling the council and partners to have access to a more reliable source of information.

 As part of the switchover programme, the CCTV service has reviewed camera locations and introduced seven new camaras following the ‘Safety of women in public places’ and ‘CCTV public perception’ surveys, which both recommended the use of CCTV to improve public safety in Cheshire East.

Thirteen camera location changes have also occurred following consultation with partners and reviews of incident data.

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said: “This is a hugely positive step, one which has an obvious and immediate benefit to residents.

“Switching to an entirely digital system provides a far greater level of public security and the location reviews are a very positive appraisal of the borough to ensure we have a system that works for the public and businesses.

“The council is facing increasing financial pressures and we need to make sure that our services are delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible. The capital investment we have made in this system will be returned with interest in the coming years and more importantly than that, gives residents the reassurance that Cheshire East remains a very safe place to live and work.”