Improved CCTV coverage and better lighting in potential crime hot spots will be completed by Derby City Council in the coming weeks as part of a programme aimed at preventing violence against women and girls in public places.

The capital works is part of the £550,000 Safe Derby programme and campaign, backed by the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding stream.

Work in the city will include:

  • Upgrading the CCTV control room in the city centre to improve radio communications and police response time
  • Installing additional CCTV cameras in the city centre – particularly in areas around school, college and university campuses – as well as in Chaddesden and Racecourse parks.
  • Providing better lighting on footpaths in the Racecourse Park and on the cycle route between Brackens Lane and Boulton Lane.
  • Undertaking grounds maintenance, such as cutting back foliage, in various parks and on main pedestrian, cycle and student routes.

Councillor Matthew Eyre, Cabinet Member for Place and Community Development said:

Funding secured through the Office of Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner has enabled us to work with community partners to develop a raft of measures to improve safety for women and girls in our city.

Through the capital works programme, our objective is to improve feelings of safety for women and girls and, indeed, the wider community, with better lighting in areas that local community groups and residents tell us they are wary to frequent after dark.

CCTV is a proven method to prevent and protect and, by upgrading the control room and improving radio communications, we will be able to better share information with our colleagues at Derbyshire Police to ensure response resources are deployed where and when needed.”

The work is in addition to the Safe Derby campaign which is jointly led by Derby City Council and other voluntary and community sector partners including local specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound, Derby County Community Trust and Derby Community Action.

The overarching objective of the campaign is to signal Derby’s zero tolerance towards, and promotion of a city free from, gender-based violence, abuse, harassment and exploitation and includes a series of workshops, training, events and new initiatives. 

Tracy Harrison is CEO of Safe and Sound, the Derby-base charity which supports children, young people and families across Derbyshire who are affected by child exploitation. She added:

The Safe Derby campaign has three key strands: prevention, awareness and action and the CCTV and lighting programmes are welcome news.

By taking a multi-faceted approach of practical measures and increased awareness, we are sending out a clear message across local communities that this city has a zero tolerance to gender-based violence.”