TALKS are to take place about putting CCTV cameras in “out-of-the-way” towns across Cumbria.

Millom, Kirkby Stephen, Kirkby Lonsdale and Alston have been flagged up by Cumbria police and crime commissioner Peter McCall as places which could benefit.

No areas have yet been chosen but Mr McCall is to hold talks with senior police officers to establish “operational need”.

The cost would have to be part-funded by town and parish councils.

Mr McCall said: “It is early days but I am really conscious that if I am asking people to pay more council tax, I have to be able to give them something back.

“I would love to be able to say to places like Kirkby Lonsdale, Kirkby Stephen, Alston and Millom, that we are going to put a copper back in your village or town. But I have to be realistic because we simply cannot do that. So what’s the next big thing? CCTV is really close to people’s hearts, it does give public  reassurance and it’s a valuable operational tool.”

Mr McCall said the costs for cameras had fallen significantly but they would only go in those areas where there was a clear operational policing need.

He said: “We are going to look at those out-of-the-way, hard-to-get-to places like Millom, like Alston, Kirkby Stephen and others. The local neighbourhood police inspectors in those areas have to say to me ‘yes, there is an operational need to put cameras in’.”

“It’s important to manage expectations because every parish in the county would want them. The fact is that not every parish in our county, I am pleased to say, does not have serious crime. It may well have low-level anti-social behaviour and while none of us likes that, it wouldn’t necessarily justify us putting in cameras.”

Mr McCall was speaking at a meeting of the Cumbria Police and Crime Panel in Kendal on Monday and said talks would take place to look at what was required and where.

He said: “We won’t be able to satisfy everybody but I think it’s another way of saying to the public this is what you are getting for your money. It’s not my job just to tax, we have to deliver as well.”

The current CCTV system is monitored at Cumbria Police’s headquarters at Carelton Hall, Penrith.

Cllr Roger Bingham, who represents Burton and Crooklands for the Conservatives, said three parish councils in his area near the M6 would appreciate CCTV cameras to help in the fight against county lines drug dealing.