Public Sector Security Award
sponsored by Commend UK
Awarded to the Local Authority or Central Government project that considers security as a prime concern and enhances the safety of staff and residents through the installation of CCTV, monitoring, access control or other innovative security system.
Winner: Wigan Council - New Control Centre & CCTV System
Wigan Town centre experiences the same anti-social problems as many small towns in the country. The council area has a population of some 300,000 and Wigan town centre is said to have more clubs and bars than any other north-west town in England, requiring real-time monitoring to ensure any problems don’t escalate into more serious problems.
Having moved out of its former, cramped surroundings into a larger converted suite, Wigan Council’s new control room is dedicated to public space surveillance duties but also handles a number of commercial contracts for operations including bus and rail stations, car parks and offices. Monitoring a sizeable 600+ camera system, the facility covers seven town centres, three shopping precincts, two residential areas and various private locations spread across a 77 square-mile area.
The council has a policy of trialling its equipment before purchasing. Overseeing the specification of equipment for the new control centre, the council’s principal officers, Tony Hollinrake and Terry Bolton, actively sought practical staff feedback and trialled different systems under live monitoring conditions before making a decision.
Risk Management & CCTV section actively works in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Local Authority Risk Management Groups, Retail Security Teams, Pub Watch Groups and Greater Manchester Passenger Transport.
New technology has improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the service. Highly trained, dedicated, fully vetted officers proactively monitor all CCTV to create a safe and secure environment for all members of the public who live, work and visit the borough.
Commended:
Guildford Borough Council/Surrey Police - Intelligent Moving Camera Installation
Breckland District Council - wireless IP-based surveillance system
Bradford Council - IP Alarm Signalling/CCTV Good Practice
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive - CCTV School Bus Upgrade
