Why Mansfield District Council removed CCTV from taxi rank

CCTV cameras that covered the taxi rank on Quaker way were removed due to a dispute with Nottinghamshire County Council.
The cameras were removed because of a dispute with Nottinghamshire County Council over permission to use street furniture to sight them.The cameras were removed because of a dispute with Nottinghamshire County Council over permission to use street furniture to sight them.
The cameras were removed because of a dispute with Nottinghamshire County Council over permission to use street furniture to sight them.

The cameras were installed on Quaker Way in May in response to “specific issues”.

They were removed by Mansfield District Council in August, with council chiefs saying they were only in place on a temporary basis.

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At the time of the removal, Councillor Bill Drewett, council portfolio holder for safer communities, said the cameras were no longer needed at the rank.

He told Your Chad in August: “The council has six of these temporary cameras, which can be used at locations across the district in response to isolated issues that can legally and proportionally be tackled with the use of CCTV, once other options have been considered.

“As the cameras are no longer justified, they have been removed and will be considered for use elsewhere in the district in response to specific issues.

“Decisions on the use of the cameras are made based on complaints received from the community."

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However, in a report of the Licensing team leader to the licensing committee on October 11, it came to light that the cameras were actually removed because of a dispute with Nottinghamshire County Council over permission to use street furniture to sight them.

Jacqueline Collins, director of governance at Mansfield District Council, said: "Due to an oversight the relevant permission was not obtained from Nottinghamshire County Council prior to the cameras being positioned on street furniture.

"The cameras are re-deployable and used temporarily in specific locations in response to particular issues.

"The decision to use the cameras are based on complaints received as well as recorded statistics on incidents or crimes.

"The cameras are removed and considered for relocation elsewhere when they are no longer needed."

A spokeswoman for Mansfield District Council said: "We have nothing further than this to add."