Safety first means CCTV in parks

Protecting citizens is the first duty of any government and Renfrewshire Council needs to take community safety more seriously.

- BY WEST SCOTLAND MSP NEIL BIBBY

Last summer, many of my constituents contacted to me to make the case for CCTV in Barshaw Park.

Concerns were raised about antisocial behaviour and the need to protect all users of parks, but particularly women and children.

I made sure these concerns were put to Renfrewshire Council.

But when I approached the council, they brushed us off saying that it was 'not a priority'.

This spring, my constituents' case was underlined with an incident that caused a great deal of public distress.

You may recall that unidentified men were seen filming young children playing in Barshaw Park. The police took up the case and made a public plea for any private CCTV footage - because, of course, there was no public CCTV footage.