Councillors fear that changes to the town centre’s CCTV network could be made without their involvement.
Macclesfield’s public-funded security cameras are currently being scrutinised as part of a council review of all CCTV across Cheshire East.
From 2014, Cheshire East Council wants town and parish councils to contribute financially to the running of the service, which costs approximately £700,000 per year. If a contribution is not made, council bosses say full round-the-clock monitoring of the cameras is not guaranteed.
But Macclesfield is not represented by a parish or town council, and local councillors fear decisions about CCTV in the town could therefore be taken without their input.
This summer, Cheshire East Council launched a community governance review to look at whether Macclesfield should get its own town council.
But the review is set to take at least 12 months before the public will then vote on if it.
Town councillors told the Express that they wanted any decisions over the future of Macclesfield’s town centre CCTV to be delayed until after a decision was made on a Macclesfield town council.
Coun Bill Livesley is calling for a delay in changes to CCTV.
He said: “No decisions should be made until after 2015 when Macclesfield has some form of parish or town council, and we’ve had the local elections.”
Coun Laura Jeuda said: “We’re basically being told that CCTV is the icing on the cake – a discretionary thing. Unless we are prepared to pay for it we are not having it.
“My fear is that Cheshire East is getting rid of as much as they can to reduce expenditure, but because we don’t have a parish or town council we don’t have a say in it.”
CCTV provides around the clock recordings monitored by staff at a control hub in Macclesfield.
Since 2009/10, the service has contributed to a fall in crime of more than six per cent and anti-social behaviour of more than 15pc.
The council review covers all 256 cameras that monitor Cheshire East’s 14 town centres at an average annual cost of £2,695 per camera.
It is reviewing all cameras to ensure they are fit for purpose and in the right location, as well as looking for ways to save money.
Coun David Neilson believes that Macclesfield should have a say in how its cameras are operated, but that CCTV is a borough-wide responsibility.
Coun Les Gilbert, Cheshire East Council cabinet member in charge of communities and regulatory services, said: “The review of CCTV in Macclesfield is likely to be completed long before the governance review – these two work streams are unconnected. While we cannot speculate on the outcome of the CCTV review, its findings will be fully discussed with local members and the Local Service Delivery Committee before action is taken.”
Macclesfield’s police inspector Steve Griffiths said police must be involved in decisions over CCTV.
