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Three years after it was first suggested, Orewa businesses have rejected the option of town-centre wide CCTV cameras.
Business association Destination Orewa Beach undertook a due diligence process around implementation of a scheme, after police suggested a network of security cameras would provide them with valuable information.
Recently members of the business association were balloted about a scheme that included installing and leasing an eight camera system at a cost of $50,225 for the first year.
It was anticipated that those costs would be covered by a one-off increase in the annual levy that businesses pay to Destination Orewa Beach, in the 2019/20 financial year.
The cost from the first year onwards would be $33,000 per annum, which would need to be funded via a further levy increase in 2020/21
Destination Orewa manager Hellen Wilkins says that the plan covered main arterial entry and exit points in and out of Orewa plus key ‘risk’ anti-social behaviour areas such as reserves and access ways. This was to track and identify offender vehicle movements. Camera coverage of the main commercial areas around the town centre was not included.
Last month’s ballot resulted in 94 responses, 42 of which approved of the proposal and 48 of which did not. Four were unable to respond either way. Under the Auckland Business Improvement District policy, 51 percent were required to agree to the scheme for it to proceed.
Hellen says that among the reasons given for not wanting the system were that businesses had their own, that businesses alone shouldn’t bear the cost and that “more police presence would be more effective than CCTV”.
She says although town centre wide CCTV will not proceed for now, a plan may be revisited in future.
