Market Drayton to get new CCTV after vandalism

The surveillance is being installed at the Newport Road car park in the town, which will cover the toilets and the new skate park.

It comes after the toilets had to be closed for nearly two weeks after the latest attack by vandals on the building on July 21.

Julie Jones, town council clerk, said: “CCTV by the toilets and skate park is seen as a matter of priority. We have had a lot of trouble with the toilets, they have been vandalised yet again.

“Whoever did it set fire to school exercise books, rammed and blocked the toilets, and pulled piping out which caused them to be flooded.”

In June it was revealed more than £30,000 will be used to increase the number of CCTV cameras in Market Drayton to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

Councillors decided to act after the office of West Mercia’s police and crime commissioner John Campion said a decision on a bid for funding for CCTV cameras would not be made until the autumn.

CCTV was discussed at a meeting of the town council’s services and facilities committee last week.

At the meeting councillors also agreed to go out to tender for coverage for the remainder of the town centre. But it put on hold plans to roll out CCTV in the town’s play areas. Ms Jones said: “The new CCTV will cover places such as Cheshire Street, High Street, Queen Street – the main parts of the town will be covered.

“We would like to do the playgrounds but it will be expensive so we have agreed to look at the estimates for next year.”

In June a gang of youths used their bikes to ride up the walls and doors of the female toilets by the skate park, leaving them damaged.

It happened just days before work was due to start on refurbishing the toilets to make them safer.

The town council said it is fed up with the Newport Road toilets being vandalised, and has previously warned people they could be shut permanently.

Last year extensive graffiti was found in the men’s toilets.

At last week’s meeting councillors also discussed the future of the public toilets. which are situated in the town hall building.

Ms Jones said she has met with three possible contractors for the refurbishment of the toilets, which have also been regularly damaged by vandals.

“I have met with some of the best and we are going out to tender. The quotes are quite different.

“We are basically going to make the three toilets there are now into two ­– they will both be disabled and be fully refurbished.

“They will have proper vandal proof doors and have fire alarms inside.”