District councillors ruled out extra funding to run cash-strapped CCTV systems in towns across North Wiltshire at an executive meeting last Thursday night.

It comes at a time when towns in the district are facing a struggle to find the money to keep CCTV systems running year after year. Chippenham's 30-camera CCTV system will be left unmanned from September as the town council has no funds for it.

District and town councillor Ross Henning said: "The district council will put up the capital funding for CCTV schemes in towns across the district but we will not help with the running costs."

He said: "I think CCTV is a good idea but I would personally like to see more figures on how many prosecutions it delivers.

"It makes people feel safer even though we live in the safest county in England.

"The people who benefit from CCTV are varied. The police benefit but make no contribution whatsoever. I think other people should contribute in addition to town councils."

Working in partnership with traders, chambers of commerce and the police was the best way of delivering CCTV in North Wiltshire, said district councillor Toby Sturgis.

He also favoured a central control room to co-ordinate systems already in place in Chippenham, Calne and Wootton Bassett. The lack of progress on this front at the meeting left him disappointed.

He said: "I think it was disappointing the meeting was not more positive. It did not take it forward. I think there should be more partnership working and a central control room."

Coun Sturgis added Malmesbury was considering a possible CCTV system but would not get any funding from the district council.

During the meeting, district councillors agreed to fund £2,043 annually from the community safety budget over a four-year period for the licensing of police radios in CCTV control rooms.