Councillors have allocated an extra £5,000 on upgrading the town’s CCTV cameras to deter nuisance drunks.

Witham Town Council currently funds eight cameras, which are monitored around-the-clock from the Essex Police control room in Chelmsford.

But an increase in anti-social behaviour in Newland Street and the suggestion to sync all cameras across the town has led to the council altering its reserves fund in its annual budget.

The £5,000 could be spent on integrating all the cameras from Newland Street, the two shopping centres and the industrial estates under one system as well as setting up more cameras.

Town council clerk Mark Squire said: “The thinking behind it is that if you have a shoplifter picked up on one CCTV system in the High Street and then he goes into the Grove shopping centre, they are different CCTV cameras on a different system.

“It would be easier for the police to monitor it if it is all under one roof."

See this week's Witham Times for the full story.