Maitland City councillor Henry Meskauskas wants to see less red tape around the installation of CCTV to make it easier for local government.
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Cr Meskauskas is one of many councillors in support of CCTV in The Levee and parts of Maitland’s High Street, but privacy restrictions and government funding models have made the push for it tough.
“There is always a hurdle,” Cr Meskauskas said.
“CCTV is a necessity, part of a toolbox to prevent crime.
“It has proven to be a very successful weapon against crime.”
On Monday Maitland traders made a public call for better security and CCTV after more than 10 businesses were broken into in the past three-months.
“There should be CCTV up and down the street just like at Raymond Terrace,” The Barber Shop owner Dan Barkas said.
Following this, Central Hunter police arrested and charged a 17-year-old male on Tuesday over more than 20 break-ins and larceny-related offences in Maitland, Rutherford, Beresfield, Woodberry and Metford.
Police alleged the teenager was responsible for break-ins at a number of different premises in High Street Maitland.
Cr Meskauskas said the fact a teenager could pull off so many break-ins was proof the area needed better security.
“It just shows that if they had CCTV in there they could have identified him earlier,” he said.
“Common sense has got to prevail.”
The council secured a $186,340 grant for CCTV in 2013 as part of the National Crime Prevention Program.
The money to buy and install cameras in Central Maitland’s shopping strip and Rutherford’s retail precinct came from the previous Federal Labor government, but was not delivered before it lost government to the Coalition.
The Abbott government replaced Labor’s initiative with the $50 million Safer Streets Program and Maitland missed out on its application for the first round of funding last September.
“They have changed the rules and the board game,” Cr Meskauskas said.
There is also red tape to do with council operating a CCTV network in a shopping precinct.
Some of the issues are about privacy of council employees, such as street cleaners and garbage collectors, who would frequent the mall.
“There are a lot of boxes to tick,” he said.
Espresso Retro owner Kandie Bond said she was not surprised one person could be responsible for so many break-ins in The Levee.
“There is no nightlife is the middle of the mall, the lighting is very dark and there is no one down there,” she said.
Ms Bond’s shop, like many in The Levee, has fallen on tough times and her lease has been terminated.
She will continue to fight for CCTV on behalf of the traders despite no longer operating a business in the street.
