Plans are under way to enhance the CCTV system in Liskeard to help combat crime.

Liskeard Town Council has agreed to spend £13,000 on linking the town centre CCTV system to Liskeard Police Station.

The majority of the CCTV coverage in the town is recorded at Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service’s headquarters at Tolvaddon, Camborne, and Liskeard police believe they would benefit from a live link.

The town council in partnership with Safer Liskeard and Liskeard police is also looking to extend the CCTV provision across the town as the current set-up was only intended to be a starter scheme.

Areas being looked at as locations where additional CCTV cameras could be installed permanently include the Sungirt car park and Castle Park.

Mayor Simon Cassidy has instructed Cllr Julian Smith, the chairman of the town council’s facilities committee, to investigate this further and report back.

Quotes are being sought to find out how much it would cost to install CCTV cameras in these locations.

The work to link Liskeard’s CCTV system to the police station could take six to eight weeks to complete from the time the connection is ordered.

Councillor Nick Craker said: “At the moment, the town council has a contract at Tolvaddon to have 24-hour recorded CCTV coverage and also certain hours and days of live monitoring.

“The additional link to the police station was requested by the local police who said it would be helpful for them to have a link in the police station to what is going on in the town centre.”

Cllr Craker said a camera at Sungirt would look over the car park and the communal area that services the nearby flats. Such a camera was requested by the Liskeard Neighbourhood Police Team.

He also said the council had had some funding from the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner to pilot the provision of a camera at Castle Park, which had proved to be successful.

Mayor Simon Cassidy said: “The town’s CCTV is monitored at Tolvaddon by Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service but we wanted to give local police a facility to view locally.

“The town council is also looking to improve the CCTV in the town as we recognise that the original system was set up as a starter. In discussion with our partner agencies, Safer Liskeard and the police, we have identified areas that would benefit from coverage.”