CCTV issues discussed in private

BT and West Berkshire Council have held private talks to discuss the problems over the CCTV hub move

TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant BT has held private talks with West Berkshire Council officers to discuss the problems which plagued the council's CCTV hub move.

Following the criticism of BT's involvement in the transfer of the hub from Newbury to a new high-tech station in the borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which was raised in a council scrutiny review on June 22, the firm said it would like to discuss the issues raised.

The overview and scrutiny committee who commissioned the review were informed at a meeting last Tuesday (June 28) that BT had already met with council officers, unbeknown to anyone on the committee itself.

A spokesman for West Berkshire Council, Keith Ulyatt, said: “The meeting was arranged following the review held on June 9. It was a private meeting between the contractor and the commissioning organisation to discuss a range of issues associated with CCTV.”

When pressed by Newburytoday.co.uk as to what was discussed, who attended, who was invited and when they were invited, BT and West Berkshire Council refused to give any details of the meeting, and would only confirm that it took place.

The transfer of the hub from Newbury to Windsor and Maidenhead overran by several months and led to accusations of mismanagement and incompetence levelled at the council from opposition councillors and Newbury traders.

After the review was called in by the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Roger Hunneman (Victoria) following months of pressure, it emerged that the council had misgivings over its contract with BT.

The council felt BT and another telecommunications firm, Virgin, were at fault for much of the delay, but it could not claim compensation despite a series of errors from contractors which resulted in months of delay.