A COUNCIL has come under fire for appearing to suggest that any extension of security camera coverage will involve a choice between two towns.

Hambleton District Council shelved a £17,000 package involving three long-awaited cameras for Bedale last year when it was forced to review its budgets after the Government capped its council tax increase.

A scrutiny committee that reviewed the council's overall CCTV policy recommended that, within the limited budget, CCTV should be expanded to all five market towns in Hambleton to ensure a fair approach.

Until this was achieved, the committee said it would not support more cameras in market towns that already had them or in villages.

After his cabinet accepted the committee's recommendations, council leader Arthur Barker said: "Should sufficient funding be identified, that means Bedale and Easingwold will be the two towns to be considered first.

"A choice between the two will be done after an assessment is made on the level of crime and the fear of crime in those towns."

Bedale Mayor Malcolm Young said CCTV coverage for the town had been mentioned four years ago, that there had been plans showing proposed sites and that he was unaware a decision was still awaited at Hambleton.

He said: "'I will be very disappointed if we do not get CCTV after all the waiting we have done. We were under the impression it was going ahead. It is a tool to help the police and has been long overdue.

"I know there is a cost implication, but we are not asking for miracles, just three cameras to keep the peace of mind of the people of Bedale."

Councillor Barker said yesterday that a report on the future of CCTV coverage was expected to go before the cabinet next month or in September. He said: "The report will say whether we have managed to scrape enough resources together to extend CCTV, and more up-to-date assessments will be part of it. I want to try to end a period of uncertainty.

"I want to dispel any idea that there is any competition between Bedale and Easingwold. This has to be done objectively. My wish is that both towns can be done, but I cannot guarantee that both would be done in the same year."

The cabinet accepted a scrutiny recommendation that, after the market towns have received CCTV, Great Ayton should be next if money is available.