Wymondham CCTV plans approved to stop anti-social behaviour

Four cameras will be put up in two spots in Wymondham's Market Place and Market Cross area after town councillors unanimously voted for the technology in its first full meeting of 2023.

The equipment will cost just over £3,800, is being paid for by the town council and is expected to operate for five years, according to town councillor Kim Carsok, who represents Wymondham centre.

Kim Carsok, Wymondham Town Council member (Image: Kim Carsok)

She said: "Over the last 12 months there were quite a few complaints from people about anti-social behaviour in the Market Place including people with motorbikes parking in the centre and noisy vehicles being driven at speed."

Ms Carsok, who is part of the council's leisure, environment, enterprise and tourism committee, said the CCTV was also recommended by Norfolk Police after one of two new bins paid for by the committee last summer was set on fire and had to be replaced.

The burnt out bin in Wymondham town centre in 2022 (Image: Kim Carsok)

She said: "Not very long after they went in a fire happened in the bin and because there wasn't CCTV we couldn't see if it was arson.

"It is really good for us to invest in the CCTV and it is not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

"It is important for people to know that footage is available and it is a deterrent for people who might illegally park or drive around at speed. It makes people feel safer.

Kim Carsok and another Wymondham Town Council member Penny Hubble with one of the new bins provided by the authority in 2022 (Image: Kim Carsok)

"Wymondham is a really nice place to live and the vast majority of people are law-abiding but the people living in a busy town centre should have CCTV nearby."

ony Holden, district and town councillor for Wymondham, said the location of the cameras had not yet been decided but hoped they could be up by spring this year.

Tony Holden, district and town councillor for Wymomdham (Image: Tony Holden)

He added that if successful the CCTV scheme could be expanded in the town.

The cameras would operate 24/7 and an additional CCTV camera could be put near public toilets near the White Hart pub in Market Street, to be funded by delegated authority from the town council clerk, according to Ms Carsok.