Concern about anti-social behaviour have led to the installation of CCTV cameras on Warminster’s Westleigh Estate.
The initiative was driven by community feedback gathered by Selwood Housing.
Back in July 2023, Westleigh Estate residents were surveyed and pointed to antisocial behaviour and dangerous driving as major concerns.
Cameras were initially installed in November 2024. However, shortly after the installation, two of the lampposts holding the cameras were deliberately cut down in an act of vandalism. As a precaution, the remaining cameras were temporarily removed.
CCTV has now been reintroduced and, in the weeks since the cameras have been up and running, residents have reported noticing a real difference.
One resident said, “It’s the best thing to have that many (cameras) on the estate because it was not uncommon for us to have 5 or 6 police cars coming here on a daily basis, but now we don’t get that many. It’s a lot safer and I know that my car’s safe and my property’s safe.”
The cameras were introduced by Selwood Housing in partnership with Wiltshire Council, Warminster Area Board, Warminster Town Council and Wiltshire Police.
Stacie Allensby, Councillor for West Ward in Warminster, said, “I’m hoping it will make most of the residents feel a lot safer. If there are issues, then they know they’ve got CCTV footage to help them. Longer-term, I’m hoping that it’ll make residents feel safer and a lot more secure in their own homes.”
Inspector Louise Oakley and Sergeant Lyndsey Smith, from Warminster Neighbourhood Policing Team added, “We see having CCTV in any public area as a positive, it can act as a deterrent, help ID and catch criminals. Our town CCTV is an example of this, and any shopliftings or ASB incidents are picked up quickly.
“We fully support the instalment of the cameras on the Westleigh Estate and hope that the public can see how much this will be of a great benefit to the wider needs of the community.”
