Cheshire Police Chief warns council cost-cutting plans could "increase crime"
It's as Warrington Borough Council draws up proposals to close a CCTV control room
Plans to close the CCTV control room in Warrington town centre have prompted a public warning from the head of Cheshire Constabulary.
Earlier this month Warrington Borough Council set out proposals aimed at saving around £130m over the next four years.
Among them is a proposal to shut the town centre CCTV control room completely.
If approved, cameras would remain in fixed positions but would no longer be monitored in real time.
Footage could only be reviewed after an offence has taken place.
Chief Constable speaks out
Mark Roberts, Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary, has criticised the proposal and said he believes it would have a direct impact on crime levels.
He said: “Crime and disorder in Warrington has fallen over recent years, and this has been achieved because of effective partnership working across agencies - not by any single organisation operating in isolation.
“A key contributor to this success has been the real-time monitoring of the town centre CCTV system, which plays an essential role in preventing crime, enabling rapid intervention, and supporting the safety of the night-time economy, retail environment, and particularly women and girls.
“As stated in the council’s own report, in 2025 alone our officers attended approximately 3,500 incidents and 600 people were arrested, as a direct result of interventions by staff within the CCTV control room.
“These included arrests for a number of serious offences such as sexual assaults, assaults, and possession of weapons, along with other offences such as shoplifting, vagrancy, and theft.
“Within their report the council also states that is the responsibility of Cheshire Constabulary to ensure the safety of residents. Not only is this factually incorrect, but it fundamentally misrepresents the established legal framework and undermines decades of collaborative working.
“While policing plays a vital role in protecting the public, community safety is not solely the responsibility of the police. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 places shared statutory duties on local authorities and police forces alike to work in partnership, prepare and implement community safety strategies, and act collectively to reduce crime and disorder.
“During previous meetings and in the agendas published online, it has been suggested that there had been early discussions with Cheshire Police in relation to the plans prior to the proposals being announced. However, this is simply not the case and to date we have been unable to have any constructive discussions with the council.
“I have personally made multiple attempts to contact them to discuss their proposals, but have yet to receive a response, which is why I feel my only option is to speak out to local residents, councillors and MPs, directly.
“I want to make it clear that if the council goes ahead with the proposals to move to a passive, unmonitored system, I have no doubt that it will substantially diminish the number of arrests and is likely to result in an increase in crime levels in the area.
“Cheshire Constabulary remains committed to working collaboratively with Warrington Borough Council to keep residents safe, however I truly feel that the proposal as currently stated is a significant backwards step, which will have a substantial impact on the safety and security of local residents and businesses.”
Proposed savings
The proposal forms part of a wider savings plan set out by Warrington Borough Council as it looks to reduce spending by around £130m over the next four years.
The authority has not yet confirmed when a final decision will be made on the future of the CCTV control room.