New CCTV cameras ‘not enough’ to stop crime in Westminster says opposition leader

The opposition leader of Westminster Council has said plans for 200 new CCTV cameras across the borough is “not enough” to stop the current crime wave.

Councillor Paul Swaddle said though the move was welcomed, the cameras would not “put off” mobile phone thieves and shoplifters operating in the borough.

The Conservative leader also accused the Labour-run administration of using the upcoming budget to fund “pet projects”.

“Too much of this budget is focused on pet projects and a multitude of self congratulatory press releases.

“Labour just want to try and secure pet issues before the 2026 elections when residents will have their say,” he said.

On Monday 17 February, Westminster Council’s cabinet agreed to double the number of CCTV cameras on streets, including 40 new cameras in the West End, as part of a £2mn budget package to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The local authority will also recruit eight new inspectors to work with police to manage community safety. The measures, which are part of the 2025-2026 budget, are expected to be given the final seal of approval when the full council meets on 5 March.

Westminster Council said installing 40 new cameras in the West End — focusing on Soho and Leicester Square — was the most significant council security investment in the area in nearly a decade.

“Wherever you live in Westminster, you should be able to enjoy your surroundings without fear of those dealing drugs or committing other crimes and anti-social behaviour that can sometimes blight our neighbourhoods,” said council leader Adam Hug.

“Our new, redeployable cameras are already helping in court prosecutions and we will deploy them wherever residents need them most.”

He also said safety and helping those less well-off were at the crux of the 2025-2026 budget.

“Like all London councils, we are facing unprecedented demands on our services with spiralling costs for housing and care. I am proud that we have been able through careful management and savings to target money to those who need it most while keeping a rise in Council tax to the bare minimum.

“We all know everything is more expensive these days – food, rent, and looking after elderly family members. We are keeping bills down for those who can least afford it, but I am also pleased we can increase the hourly pay of those care assistants who do such a vital job but are often on the lower end of the pay scale,” said Hug.

Westminster is seeking to allocate £1.4mn to increase the pay of personal care assistants, which could see hourly wages increase by £1.50 to £2. An additional £1mn will go towards cost of living support while £1.2mn is being allocated to tackling rough sleeping.

Westminster has also proposed increasing council tax by 4.99 percent and is introducing £20mn in “savings measures” to plug a £41.2mn void in its finances expected over the next two years. From the 2025-2026 financial year, a Band D property will pay an extra £25.04 a year — an equivalent weekly amount of 48p.

The council said the borough still has one of the lowest council tax rates in the country. The amount paid to the Greater London Authority on a Band D property has also increased by £18.98 a year. In total, these residents will now pay £1,017.18 a year.

The council has also committed a total of £916mn in capital investment over the next five years. Meanwhile, the council is expected to save £2mn from adult and children’s services and some £8mn from the environment and communities portfolio, a large chunk of which — £5.2mn — is tipped to come from parking charges, fines and fees.

Another £5.9mn is expected to come from housing and commercial partnership.

The council’s decision to invest £140mn into buying temporary accommodation was praised by think tank Centre for London. Its chief executive Antonia Jennings said it was a “step in the right direction”.

“The borough of Westminster has the sixth highest number of people living in temporary accommodation nationally, with 3,273 households in temporary accommodation at the end of June 2024. Homeless Londoners who can’t be allocated a social home are placed in temporary accommodation.

“Currently, many local councils are reliant on nightly paid accommodation — such as hotels and bed and breakfasts — to house these Londoners. This is often expensive, with temporary accommodation costing London’s borough councils £4 million every day, and not of suitable standard, especially for families with children.

“By directly purchasing housing to use as temporary accommodation, Westminster could save tax-payer money and provide a better standard of accommodation for the capital’s homeless households. However, this £140mn investment will not solve the housing crisis.

“Nor will it provide a home for the thousands of people experiencing homelessness in Westminster. But, with London’s housing crisis continuing to escalate, it is a step in the right direction,” said Jennings.

London has 68,990 households currently homeless and in temporary accommodation, two-thirds of these are families with children.

According to analysis, this equates to one in 50 residents in the capital, and at least one homeless child in every London classroom. On crime, the Local Government Association found shoplifting was the third most reported victim-based crime in Westminster City in the 12 months to June 2024.

Some 5,763 incidents were recorded while more than 29,000 incidents of theft from the person were reported. Met Police data shows the borough had the highest crime rate in the capital with 364.89 crimes recorded per 1,000 people. In distant second was the London Borough of Camden with 155.56 per 1,000 people.

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