AN EXPANSION of Darlington's CCTV system is on the cards.

The one-off £200,000 boost would not only spotlight vehicles involved in crime, it would also help tackle anti-social behaviour and other offences.

Police would be able to monitor the actions of known criminals and deploy officers accordingly.

Next week, senior councillors will be urged to approve the scheme.

The council's cabinet will be told that there is a potential one-off chance to work with Durham police and expand the town's CCTV system to include an automatic number plate recognition facility.

This can tell police within seconds whether a vehicle has been stolen or been involved in a crime.

Cameras scan and record the registration plates of every passing car. The numbers are then cross-checked against various databases to identify vehicles of interest.

If a number plate is flagged up, the system triggers a hit and the operator can call for police to intercept the vehicle.

The cameras can check up to 3,600 number plates an hour on cars travelling at more than 100mph.

Between 2003 and 2004, the system was piloted in 23 police force areas, with dramatic results.

Special teams produced nine to ten times the average arrest rate per officer.

Police plan to put number plate readers and CCTV cameras at key locations in Darlington, including on all the main roads and at Durham Tees Valley Airport.

The council's community services director Cliff Brown said: "The airport is regularly targeted by travelling criminals and installation of ANPR readers and CCTV should bring immediate improvements."

The proposed system would be monitored by the council's CCTV control centre and police data could be loaded on to this to flag up vehicles.

Initially, there would be for stolen vehicles, vehicles of drug dealers and the top 50 criminals in the area.

If any target vehicles pass a reader, the control room will track its location and notify police to respond.

Police reckon they will see about 12 hits a day.

One advantage of the system is that it operates independently of CCTV.

"This should enable siting to cater for known problem areas on main roads so the camera can help with general surveillance," said Mr Brown. "This will help with tackling anti-social behaviour and other problems."

For instance, a camera in Grange Road could cover Parkside and the main entrance to South Park, where there are problems of anti-social behaviour and crime.

The police will meet the £200,000 cost of installing the system. But the council would have to find £20,000 for yearly maintenance