The previous cameras on the Shirehall Estate were removed after their supplier was identified as a security threat writes David Floyd

A full front view image of Hendon Town Hall — Hendon Town Hall

Barnet Council has defended its record on community safety after Conservative councillors wrote to local residents about the campaign to cut crime on a Hendon estate.

In the letter seen by Barnet Post, sent in late February, Hendon councillors Alex Prager and Joseph Conway refer to funding received in 2020 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund.

“In 2020, your Conservative councillors worked alongside the Metropolitan Police and Home Office to secure over £300,000 in funding for crime prevention measures across the Shirehall estate. As part of this, we allocated funds to install seven CCTV cameras in the area.”

However they note that the cameras were removed by the council in 2022 after Hikvision, the Chinese company that supplied them, was identified by the government as a security threat.

The councillors say that subsequently “crime in Shirehall has continued to rise, with a 250% increase between 2023 and 2024” and they have “have been working with council officers to install two temporary CCTV cameras at the vehicular entry points to the Shirehall area”.

The temporary cameras were due to be installed in early-March and the councillors add that they will “initially be in place for a three-month trial and may remain for up to 12 months. We are also working closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure that tackling crime in Shirehall and Hendon remains a priority”.

In response to the councillors’ claims, Sara Conway, cabinet member for community safety and resident participation, told the Post: “Keeping Barnet safer is a top priority for this council. We inherited a CCTV system that wasn’t working 70% of the time and so have invested £2.3million improving and upgrading CCTV across the borough.”

She added: “The CCTV cameras on the Shirehall Estate were removed in 2022 due to national guidance on potential cyber risks and security concerns. However, we have recently installed two re-deployable CCTV cameras at the vehicular entry points to the Shirehall area, which can monitor and react to issues in the estate.

“Our community safety team, including our new CCTV-equipped vehicles, work closely with the Metropolitan Police to improve the safety of residents in Shirehall and across Barnet.”

A police officer responsible for community policing in the borough said the Met was taking action to reduce crime in Hendon ward. Inspector Tom Hinson told the Post: “As part of our Strongest Ever Neighbourhood Policing programme, neighbourhood policing has been enhanced in Barnet – this is seen an increase in officers in all ranks across the Borough.

“In Hendon ward, we have recruited an additional PCSO due to start at the end of June. Crime has reduced in Hendon from 2023 to 2024, with total crime down by 2.1% in the ward, violence by 5.6% and robbery 32.2%. We continue to work with the community to understand and respond to local concerns.”

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