Wandsworth Council secures extra funding to enhance CCTV coverage

CCTV monitoring takes place across Wandsworth via over 1,200 cameras, with officers stationed at Wandsworth town hall’s Joint Control Centre (JCC) which is operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

The Council will increase CCTV monitoring by an extra 150 hours each month and will introduce three new mobile CCTV cars. These state-of-the-art mobile units are rapidly deployable across the borough, allowing for a flexible and targeted approach to crime prevention. 

The extra funding has been made possible from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, with which Wandsworth Council is set to invest £9 million into a wide range of neighbourhood improvements - all part of our Decade of Renewal being paid for by property developers.  

The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund uses funding from Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) payments which the council secures and collects from developers to benefit the local area.  

Beyond monitoring the cameras, the control room team acts as a vital lifeline during out-of-hours emergencies including fires, floods, and road traffic accidents. The JCC also covers housing areas, making them the first responders to urgent situations such as lift breakdowns or emergency alarms triggered by vulnerable residents. In 2024, the JCC logged 62,217 calls.  

Graeme Henderson, Cabinet Member for Health, said:

"This extra funding marks a significant step forward in our commitment to keeping Wandsworth safe. The extended monitoring hours and new mobile CCTV cars will act as a deterrent, allow us to be more proactive, responsive and visible, ensuring our residents feel safe in their communities and to ensure that Wandsworth remains the safest Inner London Borough for Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour.” 

How our CCTV has helped the community 

Following concerns from the community, a late-night digital patrol targeting mobile phone thefts around Tooting Broadway took place, during which the operator noticed two suspicious men working together to identify potential victims. One of the men then engaged a passerby in conversation, encouraging them to take out their phone, before the second man approached and snatched their phone.

The operator stayed on top of the situation, zooming in to get clear footage and updating the police in real time through the two-way radios the service has in place. Their efforts helped police catch both men, support the victim and recover a stolen phone. 

In another recent incident, police were alerted to an aggressive man armed with a dangerous weapon outside a pub. Although the suspect wasn’t found on live cameras initially, the operator reviewed footage and tracked him disposing of the weapon into a bin nearby. The CCTV team kept watch until officers arrived to recover the dangerous weapon. 

Police also requested help when they received a call about an elderly woman with mobility issues who was in distress on the banks of the Thames. A CCTV operator was able to locate the woman who was in knee deep water as she had been cut off due to a fast-rising high tide. They alerted the emergency services to her location and monitored her on camera until their arrival so she could be given assistance.