Mayor says no CCTV for town centre despite paint attack on shop
The mayor of a Shropshire town has ruled out installing CCTV in the town centre despite a recent vandalism attack targeting a business.
A hardware shop in Broseley, near Ironbridge, was subjected to the attack on January 9 when black gloss paint was thrown against the shop front, all over the windows and the surrounding wood.
The shop, Broseley Hardware, which replaced a long-standing business called Hurdley's Hardware on the High Street, had just opened.
The highly visible vandalism attack has prompted calls from residents for CCTV to be installed in the town.
David Kelly, who lives in Broseley, said: "The relentless and unsightly vandalism of what was once Hurdley's Hardware store sets an appalling example and would deter anyone passing by considering moving to or setting up a business in the town. I urge Broseley Town Council to consider CCTV in the town."
But the mayor of the town council, councillor Ian West, said the hardware store had been 'mistakenly targeted' and the incident wasn't indicative of a wider issue of antisocial behaviour in the town.
He said: "I would firstly say, of course, we do have antisocial behaviour but no worse than any other town.
"This recent attack on this commercial address was not part of that so should not characterise any problems with antisocial behaviour."
He added that the town council was, however, concerned with the level of policing in Broseley and he had appealed to Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Campion.
"We have written to the PCC about the lack of policing and feel there is a link between recent misbehaviour by some young people and the absence of visible policing as we are currently missing a PCSO who has not been replaced."
But he ruled out CCTV for the town centre.
"We will be discussing these issues at the next town council meeting and the question of CCTV has been raised but this attack on the hardware shop was already captured on the store's CCTV, so we are not convinced that CCTV for the town centre is the answer and would rather see more of a police presence."
The paint defacing the hardware store has now been removed.
