SUBSTANTIAL funding has been announced for Wotton-under-Edge by Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner as he visits the town to hear people's concerns about crime.

PCC Martin Surl has accepted a bid to provide £5,850 in funding to replace Wotton’s ageing CCTV camera network from his Commissioner's Fund.

Wotton-under-Edge was one of the first town’s in the county to have CCTV cameras installed on its streets in 2007, which are now in need of an upgrade.

As well as these improvements, two more cameras will be installed at the war memorial and at Parklands in the town, making it 13 cameras that keeping residents feeling safe in the area.

Town council clerk, Sue Bailey, said they had already replaced the old cctv signs to make their presence more apparent and hopes the cameras can be installed within three months.

“I think there’s a continuing need. I do not think crime will ever go away so the more measures we have to alleviate it and mitigate that the better,” she said.

“We put in a lot of hard work into our bid. It’s great to see it come together.”

Mr Surl has also given a £10,000 grant towards Wotton Community Sports Foundation’s efforts to raise enough money for a new stake park, with £80,000 needed overall.

As well as announcing the funding, Mr Surl spent four hours talking to residents from a mobile home surgery at the Civc Centre car park on Monday, July 28.

“I find it’s quite useful. You get to interact with people. It’s a really good format to see them,” he said.

“I am meant to work on behalf of the public, not the police. This is a new concept but hope to run it two or three times a week.

“It seems very much the same issues affecting here as other areas. Low-level disorder is a concern, but we’re looking to keep the town as safe as possible.

“It is a peaceful part of the county, crime is relatively low and it is a safe place to live.”

Mayor of Wotton-under-Edge, Cllr Roger Claydon OBE, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this grant from the PCC which will enable the town's CCTV system to be upgraded and extended.”