COUNCILLORS are to plough on with supporting the funding for crime-busting CCTV to be maintained in Wellington town centre – although the costs keep changing.

Members of Wellington Town Council had agreed earlier this month that they should support the continuation of the spy-in-the-sky CCTV system as it was an essential piece of equipment in the police’s locker to try and get successful convictions.

But there was confusion about the costs involved and so it was left to members of the council’s policy and resources committee to look more closely at the situation at their meeting on April 17.

Councillors have been held over a barrel about the CCTV being told that they either pay for them or lose them.

Cash-strapped Somerset Council - which has been responsible for the cameras – has consistently warned that it would pull the plug on the CCTV cameras in Wellington because of its financial crisis unless funding became available from the town council.

Town clerk Dave Farrow had initially been told that to upgrade the six cameras from analogue to digital would be £3,000 per camera.

But he told councillors on April 17: “We take one step forward and then two steps back. The cost has gone up from £3,000 per camera to £4,320. I’m asking for clarification on that figure and if it is correct then we will have to go back to full council to get a decision on whether we proceed.”

Cllr John Thorne said: “I think we are committed to upgrading the cameras.”

Cllr Janet Lloyd said: “We want the CCTV cameras and the police want them as well.”

And the Mayor, Cllr Marcus Barr, added: “We should bite the bullet and get it done.”

But former Mayor, Cllr Mark Lithgow, said: “We’re being held over a barrel over this.”

Somerset Council had originally said that two of Wellington’s six cameras were not working properly and that it would fund the upgrade for those.

But Cllr Justin Cole said: “Those two cameras that Somerset Council has said it is going to upgrade are no longer free – as we’re now being asked to pay £4,320 per camera instead of £3,000.”

It was intimated during the meeting that perhaps somebody at the unitary authority had got their figures wrong initially and were now trying to rectify the situation by putting the price up.

Councillors gave town clerk Mr Farrow delegated powers to get on with the job and sort out the costings with Somerset Council.

The town council has already given the go-ahead to enter a three-year agreement with Somerset Council for the funding of the cameras at £16,800 per annum.

Sgt Jon O’Connor, of Wellington Police, has repeatedly told councillors during his monthly briefings with them that CCTV was vital for the police.

“CCTV is critical for us to use in events which are happening real-time or retrospectively,” he said. “The better the quality of the picture the better it is for us in being able to secure convictions.”