Despite threats to leave a New Malden estate from vandal-weary traders, Kingston Council has rejected calls to install CCTV to deter future attacks on their shops.
In October, 14 businesses on the Plough Estate in Malden Road signed a petition demanding security cameras, after their shop windows were permanently defaced, lumping them with an estimated £80,000 replacement bill.
But council officers told Wednesday’s Maldens and Coombe neighbourhood committee there was no funding available for the cameras, which would cost £44,000, with an additional £3,000 per year in maintenance costs.
Colin Duxberry, managing director of Surrey Independent Advisors, said: “If we don’t get help from the council we will be forced to take our business elsewhere.
“I have been based here for 15 years but this is the worst the vandalism has ever been.”
According to officers’ report, the police said there was no guarantee that installing CCTV would prevent further problems, but they would see if other measures could be used instead.
Councillor David Fraser, who helped organise the petition, said he was “greatly disappointed” by the council’s decision.
He said: “It is a typical council report. But we will still be pushing them to take action.”
In 2004 a previous request for CCTV from the Plough Estate traders was also rejected which, according to the report, was also because of a lack of funding available.
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