City of Greater Geraldton CCTV cost set at $260,000

The City of Greater Geraldton has revealed plans to replace its entire CCTV network, with too many faults in the 10-year-old system warranting a complete overhaul costing $260,000.

It follows a public outcry from business owners being repeatedly broken into, concerned about the lack of working cameras in the city centre, particularly near the foreshore.

Business owner Colin Dymond told the Geraldton Guardian after being broken into four times over the past 10 days — adding to the more than $5500 in repair bills the foreshore venue had racked up in the past 18 months — and engaging with the City, he took to Facebook on Friday to express his frustration.

“There’s already CCTV there, I just want it to work, it’s a security issue for everyone,” he said.

“What would have happened if little Cleo (Smith) was taken from the foreshore and the City had to turn around to police and say ‘sorry, the CCTV wasn’t working’?

“CCTV may not be a deterrent (for break-ins), but at least it may help authorities catch the culprits.”

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Tania Barras of Soul Threadz responded to Mr Dymond’s post, saying her business had been regularly targeted.

Non-dwelling burglary offences in the suburb of Geraldton are up by 12.85 per cent last financial year from 2019-20, with 24 recorded from July-September this year.

The City of Greater Geraldton allocated $100,000 in its 2021-22 budget, approved by the council in June, towards the renewal of the cameras and in-ground infrastructure in its CCTV network, which had deteriorated.

Mayor Shane Van Styn said the City had approved the purchase order of new technology, with an additional $160,000 moved from operating repairs to capital works to overhaul the entire system.

“In addition to cameras being targeted by vandals, the network’s pit infrastructure and junction boxes have aged and need to be repaired,” he said.

“We normally spend $100,000 a year on cameras, but this time instead of patching up faults in the network, we have decided on a whole system renewal.

“The City regularly budgets for the maintenance and renewal of assets annually and appreciate the CCTV network has reached the end of its useful life.”