Here is a view of the new CCTV camera on the children’s play area and skate park. It is 1 of 2 that will cover the  area.

Recently in 2022/23 there has seen a marked increase of ASB as well as Vandalism. In September 2022, 2 youths vandalised the “Magic Mountain”. The bill for repair is £20,00 of rate payers money (approximately £15.00 per household) and that repair will be undertaken in September 2023. when the police were given Video of the  Damage to the “Magic Mountain” they were unable to prosecute the perpetrators as the CCTV was not close enough to provide “beyond a shadow of doubt” evidence who they were. This is an ongoing matter for  Somerton Town Council.

 You may remember the seating on the left (the green metal ones ) had a shelter. That had to be removed because it was also vandalised.

The gates to  the skate park have also been “Jammed open” which could cause harm to the users.

 You will also notice that the car park is covered. There have been unsubstantiated  reports that “Drug dealing” may occur there.

On the skate park itself there has been graffiti using language that is unacceptable verbally let alone on display in a public place. STC has to regularly clean up the graffiti at another  cost to the  ratepayers.

Also when the Flood light work is completed in mid-September, where will be automatically switched off around 9 pm at night ( ½ first then the final set ) we can insure that users are not putting themselves in danger in the dark.

Rest assured that the purpose of the CCTV is not  some sort of 24 hour surveillance/viewing platform. It is recorded onto a system so if any violence, anti social behaviour or report of illegal activity an evidential record can be extracted by either the police, the council who own the play equipment or the trust who  manage the area on behalf of the community, who by the way have also had valuable property stolen.