The first project funded by the £20 million Pride in Place regeneration pot for Sutton Coldfield town centre is underway: a comprehensive upgrade of the CCTV network. The move follows years of lobbying by local businesses and residents after a string of crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents.
Background and Calls for Action
Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council confirmed the upgrade, responding to a plea from the Visit Sutton Coldfield Business Improvement District (BID) made in February 2025. The BID had warned that key areas of the town—Station Street, Lower Parade, and Victoria Road—had no permanent CCTV after old analogue cameras were switched off. The town centre had been relying on cameras at Gracechurch Shopping Centre, other private businesses, and two temporary cameras maintained by Birmingham City Council.
Public consultation for the Pride in Place programme, held in September and October 2025, identified public safety as the “number one concern.” Further sounding board sessions reinforced that “fear of crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) [are] major barriers to town centre vibrancy.”
Recent Incidents Spark Urgency
The call for action escalated in late 2025 and early 2026. Reported incidents include a robbery in Lower Parade in December 2025 where a knife and hammer were brandished, Christmas traders having their vans broken into (one stolen), a shop deliberately driven into in October 2025, and in May 2026, yobs intimidating and attacking a delivery rider in the Parade, and a woman being followed and intimidated in the town centre.
The CCTV Upgrade
The Pride in Place Board identified town centre community safety as an “immediate priority” for early investment. The upgraded network will feature next-generation high-definition cameras with advanced Siklu Wireless Data Links to transmit real-time video feeds directly to the Birmingham City Council Operations Centre. Predatory works have begun, though the exact number of cameras, locations, total cost, and completion timeframe have not been disclosed for operational reasons.
Quotes from Key Figures
Doug Wright MBE DL, chair of the Pride in Place Board, said: “Local voices shaped the board’s regeneration plan and funding priorities, and this project is a direct response to what our residents and town centre businesses have asked for to address community safety concerns.”
Cllr Simon Ward, Leader of Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council and deputy chair of the PiP board, said: “The start of these works to revitalise our CCTV represents another milestone in the regeneration of our town centre. High-quality CCTV helps to ensure a safe, welcoming, and thriving environment for all our residents, visitors and helps draw in further investment.”
Michelle Baker, manager of Visit Sutton Coldfield BID, said: “This is fantastic news... Since 2022, Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID has consistently highlighted the lack of operational public CCTV... Effective public CCTV is a fundamental part of town centre infrastructure.”
Cllr David Pears (Sutton Trinity, Cons.) said: “This has been on my to do plan since 2022... Having a CCTV system that works is a very good deterrent and helps the police catch the culprits. I welcome the news. It’s good to see it moving forward. It will help the economy of the town centre.”
Sutton Coldfield MP Sir Andrew Mitchell added: “I am delighted that work is underway to deliver this upgraded CCTV network. This investment sends a clear message that we are committed to keeping our town centre safe for residents, families, and local businesses.”
