CCTV for Highworth church (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

CCTV for Highworth church

CCTV cameras are to be installed on Highworth parish church in an effort to curb ongoing vandalism problems.

The church has applied to Swindon Borough Council for listed building consent and councillors are expected to okay the new cameras in the coming weeks.

Highworth Town Council also backed the application at the last meeting of the planning sub-committee.

Clerk David Lane said: "All the councillors were for it.

"The only reason the church has to apply for permission is because it is a grade one listed building."

The Parochial Church Council will be in charge of monitoring the cameras, which will cover all the yard surrounding the building.

St Michael's Church has also had CCTV inside the building for about two years.

Churchwarden Peter Hinton said: "The area in the churchyard has been subject to some vandalism over the years and we feel some cameras would help.

"There have been no problems recently but we wanted to put a camera outside because young people meet and congregate in the yard."

These comments were echoed by PCC member Colin Gunn.

He said: "We just have a number of youths gathering in the churchyard who are carrying out littering and minor acts of vandalism.

"It's not different to what a lot of people are experiencing - we are suffering the same as everybody else."

CCTV was also recently installed in Gilbert's Alley in the town centre following a spate of anti-social behaviour and the cameras have given Highworth police an extra weapon in their fight against youth crime in the market town.

Clerk David Lane added: "I think the cameras have been a very good result but it is too soon to say whether they are a 100 percent deterrent.

"I don't want to say anything to give the kids anything to aim for, but on the whole it looks like it's going to be a success - money well spent anyway."