CCTV at risk in Connah’s Quay amid council funding row

CCTV coverage in Connah’s Quay is under threat due to a dispute over payment between the town council and Flintshire County Council.

The county council provides the service to Connah’s Quay for a fee, but last September councillors voted to stop payments for 2024/25 after claiming they had no evidence of a contract for the service.

Since then it has been waiting for evidence of a legal agreement – a contract or service level agreement – from Flintshire proving the town council is legally obliged to pay for the full year.

Now it seems a new agreement signed to provide CCTV services and camera upgrades from 2025 onwards is under threat after a strongly-worded email from Flintshire County Council chief executive Neal Cockerton.

In part of the email read out to Connah’s Quay Town Council requesting full payment for last year’s service, he wrote: “Should payment not be forthcoming, I am minded to instruct that coverage is removed.”

Reacting to the letter Connah’s Quay South Cllr Allen Owen said: “We are spending the taxpayers money on a contract that is not legal. We have no legal debt to pay as we do not have a contract and this implies coercion.”

Cllr Alan Manship of Wepre Ward agreed.

“It’s more or less blackmail,” he said, “If we don’t cough up we won’t get this upgrade. I don’t think its a correct way for a county council to behave. Flintshire are really out of order.”

The clerk of Connah’s Quay Town Council, Suzanne Wilson, told elected members that the paperwork for the new 2025 deal was all in order. However, she added that until Flintshire provided evidence of the old contract no past payment would be made.

“We’ve agreed moving forward we are paying the full amount and we have a service level agreement,” she said. “But for the previous year they (Flintshire County Council) want us to pay for, nothing was ever signed.

“I’ve been here for years and years and in this position since 2022 and I have never signed anything. Whether the previous clerk has signed something to cover a few years I don’t know and that is what I am asking for.

“If you want payment from us we need proof of signature.”

Connah’s Quay Town Council has agreed to pay around £6,600, covering the period from April 2024 to September when it cancelled the service.

CCTV has played a vital role in crime prevention and police investigations in Connah’s Quay. The 2017 murder of Matthew Cassidy by two drug dealers relied on images captured by CCTV to identify witnesses, two vehicles connected to the case and ultimately the killers themselves.

A Flintshire County Council spokesperson said: “These discussions are part of an ongoing contractual matter between the two councils and as such should remain confidential while we work to reach a resolution.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Andy Dunbobbin, who is also a Connah’s Quay Town Councillor, reminded both councils of their responsibilities to support crime reduction.

“The legalities regarding the CCTV provision in Connah’s Quay are between Connah’s Quay Town Council and Flintshire County Council,” he said. “It’s important to note there is a responsibility on local authorities within the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 where Councils have to have due regard of the need to reduce crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

“I know Flintshire County Council and all local authorities across North Wales are committed to this. Indeed, the strength of our partnership working is exemplified with the development of the Serious Violence Duty strategy as well as the regional bodies we sit on.

“As outlined in my election manifesto, I am committed to commissioning an Independent Review into the Effectiveness and Efficiency of CCTV across North Wales. Having secured significant funding from UK Government through Safer Streets and also SWAN (Safer Women At Night), it makes sense for us all to see the outcomes of this investment.”

Councillors deferred discussions to a future meeting while further attempts were made to secure evidence of a service level agreement from Flintshire County Council.

By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter