Downswood Parish Council have recently contacted the DCA with information concerning three additional CCTV sites planned for Downswood, but the DCA refused to have any camera installed on the building of the centre as it had not received any plans or details whatsoever, only a brief discussion at a Parish Council meeting in April 2009, with the honorary officers of the DCA.
It was made clear to the Parish Council that the DCA are the leaseholders of the community centre and therefore they had no authority to assume that a camera could be installed onto the building.
After the refusal, Downswood Parish Clerk reported that ''as this, (any future installation of CCTV cameras) will entail additional work for the installation company, the costs will need to be passed on to the DCA''.
Mr Finch, Maidstone Borough Councils corporate property manager has been kept informed of this information concerning CCTV cameras.
At the DCA general committee meeting held on 27th April 2010, additional CCTV cameras on Downswood was discussed and after a list of reported crimes on Downswood in 2009 was distributed, it was unanimously agreed that any additional CCTV cameras installed on Downswood would be a waste of taxpayers money.
Here is the list of all reported crimes on Downswood during 2009:
13/01/09 Willow Rise – Graffiti on the wall of a house.
09/02/09 Foxden Drive – theft from a vehicle.
19/02/09 Horton Downs – Number plate theft.
27/02/09 Cottswold Gardens – Vehicle window broken.
08/03/09 Ravensdane Close – Damage to a vehicle window.
10/03/09 Murrain Drive – theft from a motor vehicle.
14/03/09 Grampian Way – Garden pot damaged.
16/03/09 Ellenswood Close – theft of a bicycle.
14/04/09 Willow Rise – burglary.
14/04/09 Longham Copse – Damage to cars.
14/04/09 Frithwood Close – Shed window smashed, garden lights broken & bird feeder bent.
22/05/09 Downswood shops – shoplifter, (no charges bought).
30/05/09 Gorham Drive - Theft from property
??/05/09 Nuisance vehicles & youths gathering behind Downswood shops.
13/06/09 Pennine Way – hanging basket stolen.
26/06/09 Len Valley Walk – attempted theft of a vehicle.
06/07/09 Kings Acre – Criminal damage (digging up of driveway)?
08/08/09 (Possible) mobile phone theft from wedding reception at community centre.
09/08/09 Longham Copse – Vehicle interference.
29/08/09 Bournewood Close – vehicle damage.
??/08/09 Orchard spot firework display – complaints.
21/10/09 Cottswold Gardens – Attempted burglary & damage to front door.
31/10/09 Unknown location – Bottle of liquid thrown at front door.
04/11/09 Longham Copse – Vehicle window smashed.
12/11/09 Mallards Way - Car windscreen broken during a domestic dispute.
01/12/09 Willow Rise - Attempted theft from vehicle.
14/12/09 Foxden Drive – Vehicle wheel theft.
Do you think we have a crime problem on Downswood?
Do you think we need additional CCTV cameras on Downswood?
What do you think of the youngsters who stand around the shops or behind the medical centre?
Do you think it would make more sense to give these youngsters somewhere to go or somewhere to meet?
Don't you think you should have a say on how the Parish Council spend YOUR money?
