A town CCTV system could be installed in Lyme Regis.

The town council has set aside £30,000 for the project, which aims to provide security for businesses and residents.

It comes as plans for Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) at key routes in and out of town are shelved.

A report by consultants which was presented to a meeting of Lyme Regis Town Council’s management and highways committee yesterday states that it is important to establish CCTV coverage at Marine Parade and Cart Road beach huts and café, Langmoor Gardens and Lister Gardens, Broad Street and Bridge Street and Town Mill and Galleries.

The report states: “The purpose of this new public space CCTV surveillance is to enhance the legitimate aims of public safety and security in the areas, especially as maintaining their good reputation with many thousands of tourists.”

It also recommends that the town council cooperates with business owners who operate their own CCTV.

There are CCTV systems already in place at Marine Parade and the town council offices, but the consultants found do not meet requirements, with poor image quality, especially at night. A good CCTV system can gather evidence of anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, affray, theft and burglary, the committee will be told.

The report states: “It is recognised that ineffective deterrence and prosecution could erode confidence in LTRC’s management of safety and security for residents, visitors, traders and commercial tenants of the LRTC estate and maybe deter future tenants.

“It is possible for crime and anti-social behaviour to escalate when perpetrators perceive little deterrence to their activities. So new and effective security measures could be associated with a real return on investment and a saleable benefit.”

It recommends a plan of action for the town council to take, which includes creating a CCTV operational requirement, conducting a privacy impact assessment and data protection impact assessment, write a technical specification and conduct a competitive tender process.

A separate report by town council operations manager Matt Adamson-Drage states that a budget of £30,000 may only be enough to provide a system covering one of the four areas identified as needing CCTV. Any recommendations made by the committee will be considered at the next meeting of the full council on March 28.