Sandwell Council currently provide CCTV and Concierge services to approximately 50% of residents who live in our high-rise estates. There has been a desire in the Council, and with significant support from residents in the blocks without the service, to expand this service to all of our high-rise customers.
Funding has now been allocated to enable this upgrade to take place and work has commenced on upgrading our CCTV control room which will then enable us to offer CCTV and concierge services to all our high-rise blocks.
What are the benefits?
This will see the installation of CCTV cameras, monitored and recorded at our newly upgraded control room, alongside updates to our door entry systems that will see them networked to the control room providing tenants with a 24 hour concierge service. These CCTV and Concierge services operate 24 hour/365 days of the year and would provide you with the following benefits:
- Intercoms and door entry systems linked directly to our Control Room
- The ability for our operators to remotely control access to your block, monitoring visitors and restricting access to unwanted callers
- A 24-hour manned service that links your property to our Control room via intercom handsets in your flat that can be used to report repair’s, ASB and crime and general enquiries
- Or for any number of reasons a resident sees fit to contact us for – a lifeline for some – reassurance for others
- CCTV monitoring for flatted estates including internal cameras covering ground floor communal spaces, lifts, entrances and surrounding areas
This opportunity will bring uniformity across our high-rise estate and ensure that we have a more consistent approach in managing anti-social behaviour.
What are the costs?
The ongoing costs of this service would be covered through your service charge, which from 1st April 2024 equates to: £10.67 a week which is broken down as follows:
- £4.60 for CCTV
- £3.95 for Concierge service
- £2.12 for secure door entry provision
The current and proposed service charges are subject to annual review, similar to your rent, so are subject to change in the future.
These charges are covered by payments of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit for those who receive it.
Statistics
On average each year we have made or received over 100,000 intercom calls via our concierge service. CCTV footage has also enabled other sanctions to be taken against identified individuals where this has been necessary, the service monitors and responds to in excess of 5000 incidents of ASB, crime and tenancy breaches each year
Further information about our service
Expected timescales
We are hoping to complete all works by the start of 2025.