Authority says setting up own firm can tackle security overspend.
A NEW council-owned security company would replace costly guards with cameras to save taxpayers nearly one million pounds.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is currently overspending its security budget by around 700,000, with the authority reliant on external contractors.
But council leaders say they will be able to deliver security services in a much more cost-effective way through an arm’s length company.
They believe this will allow them to turn the overspend into a 200,000 budget saving in 2016/17.
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Much of these savings will be delivered by using ‘enhanced’ CCTV cameras rather than security guards.
Jack Brereton, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “At the moment a lot of our security is provided by private agencies . This can be very expensive because in a number of cases they’re using guards where it would probably be more appropriate and effective to use infrared cameras.
“Take Chatterley Whitfield for example . It’s a massive site, and one guard cannot monitor it all .
It costs a lot more to have someone sat there 24/7, rather than having cameras recording the whole site and feeding back to our CCTV centre.”
Chief operating officer Laura Rowley said: “Even if there were some set up costs, it would be a considerable improvement on the current situation, where we have an overspend of 700,000.”
Mr Brereton said the ultimate aim was to turn the security company into a source of income for the council.
He added: “Once we have set up the company we could start to provide services for other organisations, such as schools, colleges or universities . This would generate a future income stream for the council . We have a fantastic facility in the CCTV centre, and we need to use it to our best advantage.”
The council is also aiming to cut its security costs by selling off surplus land and buildings.
Figures released by the authority in 2015 showed that it was spending 410,000 a year maintaining and securing 21 empty council buildings.
The former Mitchell High School alone is costing taxpayers more than 165,000 a year .
The building, in Bucknall, has been targeted by arsonists and vandals since staff and pupils vacated the site in 2013.
Alan Joinson, chairman of East Bentilee Residents’ Association, said: “The site is a real mess at the moment, with all the windows broken .
They need to do something about it .
I think more security cameras are needed, but they need to have guards as well.”
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