MONMOUTH'S residents are being forced to look the other way as inactive CCTV cameras from the town are being used to replace faulty cameras in Chepstow.

When plans were discussed at a Chepstow Town Council meeting last Wednesday (25th January) to upgrade CCTV cameras in the town, it was revealed that inactive yet fully

functional cameras from Monmouth's streets have been used to replace those in the nearby town.

The controversial issue of CCTV coverage has caused plenty of

contention in Monmouth already, with many claiming that residents are being left out of the picture, with

cameras being a necessity to the town.

Andrew Mason, the project officer for anti-social behaviour from Monmouthshire County Council, made the revelation while pitching to the Chepstow councillors that the current 'shoebox' cameras in operation should be replaced with modern 'dome' cameras.

He explained to the room that the cameras often "fail" and are replaced with the equipment that is not being used in Monmouth, a process he described as "time consuming and expensive".

Chepstow Town Council are

drawing up plans to replace the town's current equipment, installed in 2003, with new cameras that will cost £1,800 each. Mr Mason estimated that four or five cameras will be needed, with an overall cost of between £6,730 and £8,350.

The brand new cameras, already in action in Caldicot, are praised for their clarity and their subtlety, as it is not obvious where they are facing.

Mr Mason was joined by Police Inspector for Chepstow and Caldicot, Jim Walker, who showed his support for the venture.

"It [CCTV] is such an important tool for the police, we aren't going to get any more policemen any time soon and it is watching the police's back," he said.

"The cameras are starting to fail, if we don't replace them now, they will fail next year. It is going to be an improvement I'm convinced of that".

Mr Mason is asking for an update in Public Service Broadband as well as cameras as he claims that a data blockage is causing a "haze" on the CCTV screens which interrupts the clarity of the image and can impact on the success rate of identification.

The matter has been left for Chepstow Town Council to consider.