DCC awards contractfor city centre CCTV

In September 2013 the local authority invited applications for a select list of firms interested in replacing CCTV Cameras, providing maintenance and monitoring services for the local CCTV infrastructure.

In the tender documents it suggested the contract would commence in “Q1 2014” but last summer the local authority said the procurement process was still ongoing.

Last week, however, a spokesperson for Derry City Council explained that the procurement process has now concluded and that a contract has been awarded.

It is anticipated that the new contract will begin on May 1 once the period of notice for the current contract is concluded.

The Sentinel asked Derry City Council who had won the contract but a spokesperson said: “I cant give the name yet as they have just been awarded the contract and we are waiting final sign off of legal documents.”

Over three years ago the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) ordered an investigation into the procurement of CCTV provision in Londonderry after a tender process to relocate the operation stalled.

A joint Derry City Council and PSNI ‘Review Panel’ subsequently recommended a review of the city CCTV operation take place.

In December 2012, Derry City Council commissioned Analysys Mason to conduct a Review of CCTV Infrastructure and Monitoring. According to the tender documents for the now concluded process: “The report has been completed and there are a number of recommendations that the partners now wish to implement: replacement of older CCTV cameras (primarily in the city centre); installation of new cameras to widen current coverage area (primarily along the riverfront); put in place preventative and remedial maintenance programme; integration of the current diverse systems into a single integrated system controlled from one monitoring location; increase he monitoring to 24 hours seven days per week.”