By Ursula Duddy
Derry's council has approved additional CCTV provision throughout Derry leisure and sports services to ‘further enhance the protection of children, vulnerable adults, staff and the public’.
The decision was made at a recent Health and Community Committee meeting of the Derry City and Strabane District Council.
Additional CCTV will be installed at Foyle Arena, Templemore Sports Complex, the City Baths and Brooke Park.
In a council report recommending the extra CCTV coverage, it said the ‘use of CCTV in leisure and sports centres is now considered common place and significantly enhances the safety and wellbeing of staff and the public.
‘It also enhances the protection of children and vulnerable adults; prevention, investigation and detection of crime and anti-social behaviour; and investigation into criminal activity.’
The report said that ‘whilst the current coverage of CCTV in facilities is good, there have been regular occasions when the absence of CCTV coverage in key areas of facilities was detrimental to addressing issues.’
The report recommended that Foyle Arena have additional CCTV coverage in its ‘village changing corridors’ to ‘further enhance the protection of children, vulnerable adults, staff and the public’.
It was also proposed that Templemore Sports Complex and City Baths install cameras in both main and learner pool halls.
The report also noted that at present there is ‘no CCTV coverage within the new Sports Centre or at the 3G and grass pitch areas at Brooke Park’.
It was proposed that five internal cameras for the Sports Centre and two external cameras for the 3G and grass pitch are installed there.
A further suggestion, following internal financial audits was ‘to include CCTV cameras over counter cash drawers, at key cash counting areas and in areas where safes are located’ in all leisure and sports facilities.
The proposal was passed and the additional CCTV units will be fitted at Foyle Arena , Templemore Sports Complex, the City Baths and Brooke Park.
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