A DEBATE on whether to renew the town’s CCTV contract ended in a stalemate on Monday, with a decision set to be made in the new year.

Knutsford Town Council members were presented with the choice of opting in or out of Cheshire East Council’s three-year CCTV contract at a cost of £13,300 per year, which would cost the average taxpayer 4p per week.

The decision on the town’s 11 cameras – seven of which are KTC-funded and which could reduce the council tax precept increase from almost 15 per cent to less than 10 per cent – was deferred to the next meeting in January.

At the same meeting, the council will look to adopt the budget for 2018/19.

For Monday’s discussion, councillors received information surrounding camera upgrades, the possibility of temporary cameras through a 4G network, and examples of how cameras have helped.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner said: “The activities that have been uncovered by these things seem to relate to criminal activity. I was under the impression that it was Cheshire Police’s responsibility for dealing with that, not KTC.

“We are paying for their services in our council tax bill, and if they believe they require CCTV then maybe they should fund it, not spend KTC money on it.”

Cllr Jonathan Farber pointed out that town centre cameras had been brought in at the request of businesses and had helped to reduce criminality in the area by supporting police evidence.

Cllr Andrew Malloy said: “CEC is investing £100,000 in monitoring equipment and new cameras. 4G means providing cameras in areas like The Moor and station.

“We should be speaking to CEC and saying ‘we want these areas covered’. We are supposed to protect the residents of this town, let’s demonstrate that.

"We are not putting the precept up for this, it’s an existing agreement. Residents have decided to bring in CCTV and I don’t see an issue with doing what people want us to do.”

After lengthy debate, concerns remained over proactive monitoring and the principle of Knutsford taxpayers funding services which fall under different authorities’ remits.

Councillors expect to hear from Cheshire Police on the issue before the next meeting.