PLANS to upgrade CCTV cameras in Halstead have been unveiled by council bosses.

Braintree Council have unveiled plans to spend more than £31,000 on replacing CCTV cameras in Halstead town centre and Braintree.

Council bosses say the current cameras, which have been in place since the system was first introduced, are now obsolete.

As a result, CCTV cameras in the towns are set to receive an upgrade.

The overhaul will include replacing analogue cameras with digital equipment and upgrading fibre-optic links.

A council spokesman said: “Braintree District Council has a number of CCTV cameras located in Braintree town centre, Halstead town centre and Causeway House.

“Some of these cameras have been in place since the installation of CCTV by the council.

“A number of the older cameras are now starting to fail and some of them are irreparable as there are no spare parts for them.

“They have reached end-of-life status.

“Technology has also moved on and modern cameras use digital technology instead of analogue, giving improved imaging, thereby making the CCTV more effective and useful to the authorities, especially at night when the images are mostly required.”

It is believed the upgraded cameras will cost about£16,000.

Another £15,000 is also due to be spent on a new camera system in Halstead Public Gardens.

It is hoped the CCTV will deter vandalism, anti-social behaviour and illegal gatherings taking place.

A spokesman added: “As one of our flagship public open spaces, Halstead Public Gardens has won awards for best medium size town park in both Anglia in Bloom and Britain in Bloom.

“The park is locked every evening, reopened in the mornings and is protected by a fence around the whole perimeter.

“Over the past few years, there have been a number of incidents in the park including youth antisocial behaviour, noise, suspected drug activity, vandalism to shelters, theft of tools and equipment, and arson with trees and bushes being set on fire.”

A total of 24 incidents were reported to Essex Police and the council’s street scene enforcement team between 2017 and 2020.

Funding for both upgrades was confirmed at a full council meeting on Monday.

Environment boss, councillor Wendy Schmitt said: “Following the Council’s budget meeting on Monday evening, it was agreed that money would be made available to replace CCTV cameras in Braintree and Halstead, including placing new cameras in Halstead Public Gardens.

"I am pleased that we are in a position to replace the old CCTV cameras with new technology to continue to help tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the district.”