Pub watch with CCTV

Revellers spilling out of Stafford's nightspots will be watched over by four new £70,000 Big Brother-style CCTV cameras.

The cameras are part of Stafford Borough Council's community safety action plan which aims to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

New devices have been fitted to the former PC Dream shop next to the Picture House pub and opposite the Chicago Rock Cafe; one at the corner of Newport Road with Friars Terrace, near Zanzibar; one at Mill Bank, near to the new Espleys Yard development; and a fourth at St Mary's Passage, alongside McDonalds.

The borough council has an ongoing budgeted programme to increase the number of cameras each year.

In 2005, the most commonly reported anti-social behaviour was defined as "rowdy and inconsiderate", with 837 of 3,420 incidents – almost a quarter – occurring in town centres.

There were also 597 incidents of 'vehicle-related nuisance' and 555 neighbourhood disputes.

Ted Manders, SBC head of regeneration, said the cameras were as much for reassurance as for tackling crime. He said: "We are in a low crime area but the camera system does compliment the work the police and the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) do as well as Pubwatch and the Businesses Against Retail Crime in Stafford (BARCS) organisation.

"The cameras are part of an overall community safety action plan and we have more planned for next year such as at the new leisure centre."

A further two CCTV cameras – one at the rear of Espleys Yard and one at the new Hough Retail Park, off Lichfield Road – are also in the pipeline and have been funded by the relevant developers.

Anti-social behaviour figures for the borough show that between 1999 when anti-social behaviour orders were introduced and December 2005, 17 Asbos and seven Criminal Asbos – introduced on conviction for a relevant criminal offence – were issued.

Three wards are set to also be specifically targeted in the near future – Manor, Penkside and Stonefield and Christchurch – where high levels of nuisance behaviour have been reported.

Mr Manders said the council was looking at the possibility of extending the CCTV provision to neighbourhood shopping centres with assessments being undertaken to see if it would be viable.