Town centre to get huge CCTV safety boost

The boost to the CCTV network in Leigh is being introduced after residents told Wigan Council they wanted more done to help make them feel safe.

The £5m #BelieveInLeigh fund was launched by the council to make improvements in Leigh.

The authority asked people which areas they wanted the investment targeted on and, of the 600 responses received, the overwhelming call was to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime in the town centre and residential areas.

And so more than £400,000 worth of safety measures and environmental improvements will be funded to be operational by August’s end.

There will be nine new CCTV columns installed in the coming weeks, each to have four fixed and one remotely-controlled camera, meaning that there will be 45 further lenses monitoring the streets of Leigh by the summer.

Four further poles will be installed in the Leigh West ward, which will be used for two re-deployable cameras that can be moved across the columns as appropriate. These are addition to the wide network of existing cameras already in place in the town centre.

Lord Smith, Leigh West councillor and #BelieveInLeigh board lead, said: “It is essential that people coming to the town centre, whether that is through the day or in the evening, feel safe. People who are thinking of committing crime or anti-social behaviour in the centre should be aware they are likely to be seen and that evidence will be passed to police.”

Dane Anderton from Leigh Residents’ Association, said: “Increased CCTV to help improve town centre safety and opportunities for young people are what Leigh residents asked for and the council has listened to this feedback.

"I have no doubt that the extra CCTV will appease concerns about anti-social behaviour in the area and I look forward to them becoming operational in the summer.”

Money will also be invested in bright LED lighting, refreshed road markings on Market Place and the refurbishment of benches, guard rails and poles, all of which is due to be complete by the end of March.

Town centre bins are also to be replaced with multi-recycling bins that will use smart technology such as fill level sensors and solar technologies. And the town hall has also been working closely with Leigh Youth Voice to improve young people’s provision in the area.