Medway council has revealed that over half of the CCTV cameras in Medway are not currently working, and that taxpayers will have to pay £47,500 to private company Medway Commercial Group (MCG) to fix the highest priority cameras.

Cllr Andy Stamp, Councillor for Gillingham and Medway Labour Spokesperson for Regeneration and Communities said, ‘The new figures on CCTV represent a raw deal for Medway residents. Even once the priority repairs have taken place, funded by the taxpayer to the tune of £47,500, 28% of the cameras in Medway will still not be functioning.

‘The justification for employing MCG for CCTV and other services in Medway was that it benefitted taxpayers both with a high quality service and value for money, but so far the arrangement seems to only be benefitting MCG.

‘A complete lack of proper contract and performance monitoring on behalf of the council has allowed this situation to deteriorate, and the lack of robust contractual arrangements to protect Council funding in a time of austerity, police funding cuts, and rising crime is completely disgraceful.

‘I call on the council to urgently consider the terms of future contracts with private companies, including implementing penalty clauses to recoup money from companies for poor performance so that taxpayers don’t end up footing the bill.’

Cllr Vince Maple, Councillor for Chatham Central and Medway Labour Group Leader said, ‘Despite recent attempts by MCG to muddy the waters the reality is really quite simple: MCG have been paid for a service they’re not delivering. This wouldn’t be acceptable in any other context and it should not be treated with complacency in the public sector.

‘The Conservative-run council have been burying their head in the sand despite Labour Councillors raising concerns about CCTV cameras not working for the last 18 months. A Labour administration would never have created MCG in the first place, and this damning report shows their failings.’