Harrogate Borough Council charged North Yorkshire County Council £28,000 last year to view CCTV related to parking fines, according to a report.

The report, which will go before councillors on the new North Yorkshire Council tomorrow, outlines the financial performance of parking enforcement in the county.

It includes details of how much money the now-abolished North Yorkshire County Council spent on traffic management and on-street parking in 2022/23.

Harrogate Borough Council, which was also abolished last week, manned its own CCTV centre which had control over a network of 212 cameras across the district.

However, if another organisation wanted access to its video they had to pay an hourly fee. This included North Yorkshire County Council, which had responsibility for on-street parking in Harrogate.

The council also charged North Yorkshire Police to obtain footage to support prosecutions in court. This led to comments from some councillors and members of the public who felt public bodies should share footage free of charge.

Chris Aldred, Liberal Democrat councillor for High Harrogate and Kingsley, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the issue of who pays for the CCTV control centre in Harrogate has been “a bit of an historic running sore”.

He said:

“My understanding is that North Yorkshire County Council used to contribute to the CCTV provision across Harrogate district until a few years back, then they rather unceremoniously and at the last minute in one particular round of budget cutbacks, took the decision to pull out of an annual commitment to assist with their funding.

“It’s quite expensive to provide, not the actual kit, although that’s not cheap, but the officers who have to do the monitoring and then provide the footage for court — and they only pay for what they actually use.”

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But the debate over which council should pay for CCTV in Harrogate is now over with the introduction of the new unitary council that launched on April 1 and now owns the control centre.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant chief executive for local engagement, Rachel Joyce, said:

“North Yorkshire County Council was previously charged to access open space cameras in the Harrogate district in order to assist its highways team with day-to-day operations such as traffic monitoring. This made best use of an extensive CCTV infrastructure.

“In the new council, we have the opportunity to look at our CCTV network across the county. Our aim is to maximise the existing CCTV infrastructures, explore opportunities for enhanced partnership working including how CCTV control rooms are funded.”

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for help to to identify a man captured on CCTV as part of an investigation into shoplifting and assault.

The force issued a statement this afternoon, which said:

“Officers would like to speak to him about a number of shop thefts in the Knaresborough area, including one at the One Stop shop on March 7 when a member of shop staff was also assaulted.

“They believe he may have information that could assist the investigation.”

Anyone who can help identify him is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, and pass information for incident number 12230042029.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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A control room monitoring more than 200 CCTV cameras in the Harrogate district has not been manned at times over the last year due to staff shortages.

The control room, run by Harrogate Borough Council, oversees cameras operating 24 hours a day in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough.

Control room staff are able to respond to police reports and track suspicious activity. Police can buy the footage to use as evidence in pursuing crimes.

Julia Stack, community safety and CCTV manager at the council, was asked by Councillor Victoria Oldham at a meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny commission this week whether the room needed to be staffed.

Ms Stack replied the priority was to “man that service for 24 hours a day”, adding:

“I will be honest,. We have had some challenging issues in terms of recruitment within the last 12 months so there have been times when we have been unable to have the staff there but the cameras will be recording.”

Ms Stack added the team was now “almost at full complement of staff”.

Cllr Oldham, a Conservative who represents Washburn, replied:

“I’m aware of two incidents last week when it wasn’t manned and one of them could have been very embarrassing.”

Julia Stack speaking at the meeting

Ms Stack said the service worked closely with police but added:

“There’s always the risk we may be dealing with one location and there may be something happening in another one. That is down unfortunately to consistent funding cuts to the service.”

The long-term future of the service when Harrogate Borough Council is abolished at the end of this month and North Yorkshire Council takes over is unclear.

Scarborough and Northallerton also have CCTV control rooms in the county and Ms Stack the service overall was inconsistent and would be reviewed.

Cllr Windass speaking at the meeting

Councillor Robert Windass, a Conservative who represents Boroughbridge, said Boroughbridge had been “kicked out” of Harrogate Borough Council’s CCTV monitoring system years ago.

Cllr Windass said Boroughbridge Town Council now provided CCTV and, unlike Harrogate Borough Council, did not charge the police for accessing it. He said:

“If the police request footage for any crimes there is absolutely no charge because we consider it a valuable service we should provide and support to the police.”

Cllr Mike Chambers, the Conservative Cabinet member for housing and safer communities, replied:

“I agree it is a service that is valuable to the police. But we have a control room that has staff. If we don’t levy charges as many other departments within this council do then how do we pay for the staff?”

CCTV overlooking Harrogate’s Royal Hall

‘Limited resources’

After the meeting, the Stray Ferret asked Harrogate Borough Council about the control room staff situation and what will happen to the service when the council is abolished in four weeks.

A council spokesperson said:

“Our CCTV control room is in Harrogate and has five operators and one CCTV and business crime operations officer, as well as a small pool of casual staff who work alongside full-time officers, who are responsible for surveillance of cameras covering Knaresborough, Harrogate, Ripon and council buildings.

“They also undertake reviews and produce evidence for the police and other third parties, operate a RadioLink service and support a business crime partnership.

“Like ourselves, North Yorkshire Police have limited resources and even if the control room report an incident to the police, there is no guarantee that they are always in a position to respond straight away. Therefore, we ensure cameras record 24-hours a day, 365 days a year so that our staff can aim to get the best evidence to assist with any incidents.

“Closures are kept to a minimum and shifts are extended with staff work overtime to ensure sufficient support for the CCTV control room.

“In recent months, we have seen a limited number of applicants to the roles available. And once appointed, each post is subject to police vetting which takes times to be thoroughly carried out, followed by a two-month training period.

“However, we can confirm that two new appointments have recently been made.

“From 1 April there will be no change to the service.”

Police are appealing for CCTV footage around the Granby Road area after a man was assaulted in Harrogate.

The victim was approached by an unknown man on Granby Road and assaulted, leaving him with minor injuries to his hand, wrist and ankle.

It happened on Monday, January 23, around 2.20pm.

Police describe the man they want to speak to as white, aged in his late 20s to early 30s, and around 6ft tall with dark, mid-length hair. He was wearing a red coat and carrying a dark rucksack.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“We’re now requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, our officers are keen to hear from any local residents that may have CCTV or doorbell cameras which may have caught the incident.”

Anyone with information that could help the investigation should email beth.long@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call 101, select option two, and ask for Beth Long.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting reference number 12230013525.

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North Yorkshire Police has released a CCTV image of a man it wants to speak to following a burglary at Ripon Rugby Club.

The clubhouse was broken into at 10.47pm on December 18 and bottles of alcohol were stolen from the bar.

Officers today appealed to the public to get in touch if they recognise the man pictured or know where he can be found.

A statement from police added:

“Anyone with any information is asked to email paul.griffiths@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Paul Griffiths.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote reference number 12220223467 when passing on information.”

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A leading civil liberties group has said it is ‘deeply alarming’ that Harrogate Borough Council uses CCTV cameras supplied by a company controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, and with links to the Uyghur ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang.

HIKVision CCTV cameras have already been banned in the United States over security concerns.

But a report from Big Brother Watch this year revealed almost three-quarters of local authorities use CCTV manufactured by the company, as do many NHS trusts, police forces and schools.

The council has 212 CCTV cameras in total across the district. They are in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon town centres as well as at leisure centres such as the Hydro and Ripon’s new Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The Stray Ferret sent a freedom of information request to the council asking how many of these cameras were made by HIKVision and was told the number is 86.

HIKVision cameras come at the cheaper end of the market, making them a popular choice for cash-strapped local authorities but critics say they come with other, more sinister, costs.

As well as being used in Uyghur detention camps, software flaws have connected the CCTV cameras back to servers in China leading to fears about spying by the repressive state.

A CCTV camera — one of 212 in the district — overlooking the Royal Hall.

Detention camps

The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in north west China who face persecution and oppression by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published reports that accused China of crimes against humanity. A UK-based independent tribunal last year ruled Beijing was guilty of genocide.

The BBC has captured evidence of HIKVision CCTV cameras being used to monitor the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang region, as well as in so-called ‘detention camps’ where it’s estimated over a million Uyghurs have been locked up.

Last year, MPs on the foreign affairs committee published a report that said cameras made by Hikvision “have been deployed throughout Xinjiang, and provide the primary camera technology used in the internment camps”.

Madeleine Stone, legal and policy officer at civil liberties group Big Brother Watch said:

“It is deeply alarming that Harrogate Borough Council is purchasing and using Hikvision cameras to monitor members of the public.

“Taxpayers’ money should not be funding a company so closely linked to the Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang. Chinese state-owned CCTV companies have no place in the UK and the government should act now to ban them.”

China has denied all allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. 

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Security concerns

As well as the ethical question marks around HIKVision cameras, there are also fears that the cameras could compromise security and be used for spying.

Whilst there is no direct evidence of HIKVision providing data gathered from CCTV cameras to the Chinese state, there was an instance in Italy last year where hundreds of HIKVision cameras suddenly started connecting to a server in China.

The incident in Italy was rare but Big Brother Watch has also reported other “security holes” in one of the company’s main remote viewing software tools that could connect directly to servers in the country.

A CCTV camera on Cambridge Street – one of 212 in the district.

Chris Aldred, Liberal Democrat councillor for Fairfax and chair of the council’s overview and scrutiny commission, said the security implications were potentially “very worrying” for the district. He said:

“It would be very worrying if our cameras in Harrogate district suddenly started transmitting their images anywhere else, not just China.

“I know from my own personal CCTV training within the security Industry that there are, quite rightly, very strict regulations as to who can view CCTV images and for what purpose, even the police have to apply for permission and follow strict guidelines.”

The council publishes an annual report about its use of CCTV but it does not mention who manufactures the cameras.

Cllr Aldred added:

“What is happening in the Uyghur detention camps is truly appalling and it is disappointing that Harrogate Borough Council has ultimately bought our cameras from the same company whose technology is undoubtedly aiding what is happening there”.

Cllr Aldred said he will ask the council if it has concerns about HIKVision, and if it has plans to remove the cameras.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“HIKVision CCTV cameras are used extensively by local authorities across the UK, as they are known for capturing high-quality footage that can prove invaluable when a crime is committed.

“Like all other organisations that use CCTV, we follow a code of practice, comply with the Data Protection Act, and our system is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

“We await further guidance from central government on any future use of HIKVision cameras.”

The Stray Ferret approached HIKVision for comment but we did not receive a response.

North Yorkshire Police has released CCTV images of two men they want to speak to after an unprovoked assault in Ripon.

The incident happened near Booths supermarket, Marshall Way, between 4am and 4.30am on Sunday, July 3.

A man in his 30s suffered serious facial injuries and required hospital treatment following the assault.

Officers said the two men pictured in the CCTV are believed to have been part of a larger group which was present when the assault happened.

A police statement added:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise either man.

“Anyone with any information is urged to email Sam.Clarke2@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC Sam Clarke.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12220116042 when passing on information.”

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The team behind a major search operation for a missing dog in Harrogate have said they will not stop looking for the beloved pet.

Emily Watson’s white bichon frise, Molly, was spooked by another dog and ran away in Nidd Gorge on June 23.

Her last sighting was near the viaduct on the Bilton/Ripley cycle path.

Ms Watson has faced online abuse due to the length of the search, with people saying she should not continue.

However, she has vowed that she will “never give up” and has thanked the community for their continued support.

The search also faced a setback this week when a camera set up to attempt to track Molly was vandalised.

Jen Bell, who has been part of the team helping Ms Watson, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are working behind the scenes with professionals whose time, expertise and equipment are provided on a voluntary basis.

“One of the cameras on loan to us was vandalised recently and the SD card was thrown or dropped further along the road.

“A member of the public found the SD card but we found that the perpetrator(s) had tampered with it, meaning that we have lost 24 hours of footage.

“Consequently, this has hindered our search for Molly. We are however a strong team supporting Emily, and we endeavour to continue our work with the professionals in finding Molly.”

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Ms Watson has put out regular appeals on Facebook to help find the missing dog and a group called Missing Molly has also been set up.

Posters, banners and flyers have also been displayed and given out in the area.

In an outpouring of support, the community has been out in force searching for Molly, who was wearing a purple harness when she went missing.

Volunteers have also come forward with thermal drones, a dog tracking team and thermal cameras.

Many have continued the search into nightfall.

Residents have also checked their smart doorbells and CCTV cameras for sightings.

Ms Watson is now asking residents in the surrounding villages of Harrogate to keep their eyes peeled.

She said:

“I will carry on for as long as is needed in the search for Molly.”

Harrogate Borough Council has charged North Yorkshire Police over £110,000 to check and supply its CCTV footage since 2016, the Stray Ferret can reveal.

The council has a network of 212 CCTV cameras across the district to help prevent and detect crime. It has a manned control room that operates 24/7.

But it does not supply footage to the police for free and last month the Stray Ferret reported it asks the force to pay a fee of £57 per hour for the service.

We submitted a freedom of information request to the council that asked how much it has charged North Yorkshire Police in total since 2016.

The answer revealed a total bill of £114,005, which amounts to about £20,000 a year on average. The sum fell noticeably during covid lockdowns in 2021/22.

The annual breakdown is below:

• 2016/17 £23,410
• 2017/18 £19,598
• 2018/19 £20,251
• 2019/20 £18,992
• 2020/21 £13,400
• 2021/22  £18,354

Crime prevention

Ripon has been plagued by well-documented anti-social behaviour and crime in recent years.

The council operates 10 CCTV cameras in the city but Andrew Williams, the leader of Ripon City Council and the North Yorkshire county councillor for Ripon Minster and Moorside, said the charge deters police from following up crime reports.

He said:

“It is ironic that Harrogate Borough Council’s homes and safer communities team appears more interested in making commercial charges to the police, rather than working in partnership with them to help in the detection and arrest of criminals.”

Cllr Andrew Williams

Cllr Williams calculated that the £18,354 charge for the last financial year worked out at less than one hour of CCTV footage a day.

He suggested this means NYP is being selective in which footage it requests and could be missing out on catching criminals.

He added:

“When considering the size of the Harrogate district and the number of CCTV cameras installed across it, that indicates that police, with pressure on their budgets, are having to be selective in their purchasing of footage and only calling on the services of the HBC CCTV monitoring team for the most serious incidents that they are investigating.”

“At a public meeting in Ripon last month, police admitted that nobody had been arrested for the vandal attacks, in part because they could not pinpoint the exact time of each incident and would have to go through hours of footage, which would not necessarily provide the quality of footage required to identify an individual or individuals.”

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‘Shameful’ charges

Business owner Andrew Hart, who owns the Red Box post offices in Bilton and Starbeck, has previously raised concerns about anti-social behaviour in both areas.

Mr Hart has two private CCTV cameras in his post offices. He said he supplies any footage to the police for free if they ask for it and called the council’s decision to charge “shameful”.

The council currently operates one CCTV camera in Starbeck.

Andrew Hart

He said:

“We are often needing to refer back to our two CCTV systems on both police and private request. It is something we do out of a sense of duty to both the community and in our joint responsibility to fight anti-social behaviour.

“Yes, it takes time and costs us money but we all have to do our bit, surely. I think it is shameful that any council should charge our grossly overstretched police for this service.”

Council’s response

A council spokesperson said:

“CCTV across the Harrogate district, which is owned and managed by Harrogate Borough Council, has ongoing infrastructure and running costs.

“As well as the costs to maintain the service, there are also costs associated with a CCTV control room, staffing and the on-going safe storage of footage.

“Should anyone wish to obtain a copy of any footage, this would require an appropriate individual reviewing it first, followed by providing the footage securely along with a witness statement. All while adhering to the Data Protection Act 1998.

“Therefore, any third-party that wishes to view and use any CCTV footage – such as an insurance company, enforcement agency or the police – is charged to do so.”

North Yorkshire Police declined to comment.