A brand-new CCTV control room dedicated solely to Newark and Sherwood is set to open at the start of April.
It will bring major improvements to how incidents are identified, monitored and responded to across the district.
The control room will be based within Newark and Sherwood rather than shared with other districts. Previously, the team was responsible for monitoring around 170 cameras spread across Broxtowe, Ashfield, Rushcliffe and the Newark and Sherwood area. Now, with a dedicated facility and a focused team, operators will monitor approximately 90 cameras within Newark, Southwell, Ollerton and surrounding communities.
The relocation of the CCTV control room will significantly enhance how quickly and effectively incidents can be identified and responded to across Newark and Sherwood.
With a dedicated, district-only facility, the team can proactively spot and monitor events and hotspots in real time, allowing them to react as situations unfold rather than after the fact. This increased focus means operators are better placed to spot early signs of anti-social behaviour, suspicious activity or emerging incidents before they escalate, and to report them quickly to Nottinghamshire Police and the District Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team.
The improved set-up will also strengthen support for police investigations. By analysing clearer, higher-quality footage more quickly, the team can provide crucial evidence that helps officers hold perpetrators to account.
Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations, said:
“Our residents have been very clear with us: tackling ASB is one of their biggest concerns. This new CCTV control room is a clear demonstration of our commitment to acting on that feedback. By bringing the service into the heart of Newark and Sherwood, our dedicated team can focus solely on keeping our district safe by spotting issues earlier, responding faster and working more closely than ever with Nottinghamshire Police.
“This is a major step forward in protecting our communities, supporting local businesses and ensuring people feel safe wherever they live, work or visit.”
Inspector Charlotte Ellam, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: “Tackling anti-social behaviour has long been one of our top policing priorities here in Newark and Sherwood, so news of the new CCTV control room is certainly welcomed by us.
“Having a dedicated CCTV system focusing on this district alone will assist us in responding to more reports as they happen, while also gathering higher-quality footage to support our subsequent investigations.
“We are committed to doing anything we can to crack down on ASB and other offending in Newark and Sherwood, so are delighted to have been able to work with the council to make this happen.”
The new CCTV control room is one of many measures the District Council is investing in to help keep people safe. Alongside this improvement, the District Council is continuing to deliver diversionary youth activities, invest in sustainable town centre CCTV infrastructure, install bleed kits and support Nottinghamshire Police with tools such as knife wands for night-time economy checks.
