Use of resources including Blackpool’s upgraded £2m CCTV system helped prevent recent riots in the town from being ‘catastrophic’, councillors have been told.
The resort was among towns and cities across the UK where disorder broke out during August, sparked after disinformation spread on social media following the attack in Southport on July 29 in which three young girls were stabbed to death.
Protests which took place in Talbot Square in Blackpool on Saturday, August 2 and in Lytham Road on Wednesday, August 3 were prevented from escalating with the help of the CCTV control room.
Coun John Bamborough told a meeting of the full council the CCTV system, which was relaunched in March 2023, “was absolutely crucial in something that could have been catastrophic for Blackpool”.
A report by cabinet member for community safety Coun Paula Burdess said intelligence had been shared between partners including the police, fire service, ambulance service, coastguard service and Blackpool Transport to contain the violence.
Coun Burdess said in her report: “Whilst the disorder was confined to isolated areas, these occasions put our emergency workers, residents and visitors here to enjoy the resort, plus a range of local businesses and their staff members in danger.
“Our message is clear to those who want to cause division and hatred – it is completely unacceptable, and there is a zero tolerance for such in Blackpool.
“Blackpool Council’s CCTV room was resourced to ensure the police were able to use the footage in real time. This offered crucial support to their policing operation and secured footage to assist with prosecutions following the protests.
“A key success of the room being stepped up for the protests was the ability to communicate with the Shopwatch and Pubwatch communities, providing them with real time updates so that they could take the appropriate and immediate action such as locking down their premises as the protesters approached.”
The council’s waste management company Enveco also removed any loose items from the danger zones to prevent them being used as missiles.
Calls have been made to ensure the CCTV control room is also fully utilised to prevent lower level crime in the town centre.
Coun Emma Ellison said the system was a “fantastic facility” and should be used to clamp down on outbreaks of vandalism which have recently seen windows broken at some businesses.
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