A proposal to remove a CCTV camera installed to deter drug dealing appears to have been abandoned by the city council following protests from residents.

According to Jericho and Osney city councillor Susanna Pressel, council officers were proposing to remove the CCTV camera in Mount Place as once it was installed no crimes in the area were taking place.

But a number of residents including John Mair said this was a bad idea and the council has now confirmed the camera can stay - for the time being.

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Mr Mair said: “I’m delighted the council has seen sense - this was the only sensible thing to do to conserve a much needed public space in Jericho.”

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Ms Pressel said before the council confirmed the camera could stay: “We used to have a problem with occasional drug dealing in Mount Place, but earlier this year the city council did a fantastic job of re-paving and tidying up the square, with new planting going in this week.

thisisoxfordshire:

Susanna Pressel

“Since the renovation it has been well used by local people and I have had no further reports of antisocial behaviour.

The city council put in a CCTV camera overlooking Mount Place in June, which I’m sure has helped.

“I have asked them to leave the camera there for as long as possible but unfortunately they say that they need to be able to ‘justify its ongoing deployment’.

“With no reports of crimes, they feel that there is no need for a camera.

“I think the truth is that the council can’t afford more than a few of these cameras.”

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City council spokesman Tony Ecclestone said: “The mobile CCTV camera is installed in areas of most need. We have no immediate plans to move it.”

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Mount Place

Mr Mair added: “Just one CCTV camera has transformed the new public space by the canal. Mount Place used to be a centre of antisocial behaviour; open drug dealing and home to drinking schools.

“Then the council renovated it with York stone, a local Green gardening group set out to plant the beds, comfortable benches were put in and a CCTV camera mounted to look over it all. The space was transformed. Local families have started to use it again and crime has dropped to zero.”

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The CCTV camera in Mount Place

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The city council and Thames Valley Police manage a CCTV scheme of 47 cameras around Oxford including 35 covering the city centre.