Fears raised over CCTV system
Fears for the future of Oswestry's CCTV system have been raised after a council grant was cut.
Oswestry Town Council has slashed its £7,000 donation towards the £18,000 running costs of the system.
The cut has been made to pay for policing at the town's popular Music Live event.
The CCTV scheme, although operated by volunteers, costs £18,000 to run each year through overheads such as electricity and telephone bills.
And one CCTV volunteer, who declined to be named, said the cut in the the funding was a "kick in the teeth".
"I come in to the CCTV room every year to cover Music Live, but I am now thinking twice about giving up my Sunday this year. I see the action by the council as a real kick in the teeth to all the CCTV volunteers who staff the control room not only for July 8, but for the 365 days of the year."
The council decided to take £2,000 off its planned CCTV grant to pay for the extra policing at Music Live following a request from West Mercia Police.
Councillors said they were disappointed they would now have to dip in to the CCTV funds to pay for eight hours of extra policing, made up of one sergeant and three constables.
But the all-day music festival, which attracts about 10,000 people to Cae Glas Park, will go ahead on July 8.
The call for more officers - on top of about 120 privately-employed security stewards - came from a recent planning meeting.
The volunteer added: "We always ensure the CCTV control room is fully staffed to cover events and feel disheartened that despite this we are being penalised."
