Statement: Thames Valley CCTV Partnership
Published Tuesday 2 December 2025
On Friday 28 November the Police and Crime Commissioner briefed the press to claim four Oxfordshire councils had refused funds for CCTV, even though all of them remained in ongoing conversations about the plans.
The councils have confirmed they remained in ongoing conversations about future CCTV partnerships in the Thames Valley despite local media reports to the contrary.
South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council have issued the following response:
Cllr Georgina Heritage, Cabinet Member for Communities at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “The Police and Crime Commissioner’s press briefing issued late on Friday afternoon wasn’t accurate – we remain in active and positive discussion with officials on the details of the scheme. Our Cabinet has agreed in principle, and we have been, like the other councils, working in private to negotiate – in good faith – the best deal for our area.
“Suggestions we have turned down ‘£60,000′ are wildly incorrect. This figure is a one-year discount, after which the councils involved would be asked to contribute up to £90,000 per year to the scheme. Through our successful Community Safety Partnership with TVP and the Vale, we already run a highly effective local CCTV system and have recently invested money into upgrading town centre cameras as part of a scheme totalling £160,000 of improvements. It has to be acknowledged that whilst the hub will bring us many benefits, building on our current investments, it is not without significant ongoing costs for the councils involved.
“Furthermore, we have worked to every deadline set for us. In this instance the Police and Crime Commissioner has jumped the gun on his own deadline (5 December) in the press and on social media – in contempt of the agreed process.”
Cllr Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “We were very surprised to see headlines suggesting councils had turned down funding – nobody has done anything of the sort, in fact we’ve been in open and constructive dialogue to find a positive and workable outcome to the PCC’s approach to local councils on CCTV funding.
“We have always worked closely and collaboratively in direct partnership with TVP on community safety initiatives, directly funding a joint partnership arrangement. That work includes operating a local CCTV centre, with cameras recently receiving a significant upgrade thanks to the partnership.
“Our aim, like most of the other councils involved, is to meet our best value duty on our liabilities for costs elsewhere, protect our staff and ultimately find a consensus that works for all – which is all part of a standard contract negotiation process. It speaks volumes that of the seven councils involved, only one has signed up, and so it is not unreasonable to conclude we all have legitimate concerns that need to be addressed before contracts are signed.”
