In full working order

City of York Council said the network of dozens of "eyes-in-the-sky" around York city centre, which protect the public and help fight crime, had been working effectively for several months.

A year ago, the Evening Press revealed a string of faults at 18 locations. Almost a dozen were not attached to a recording machine, six could barely see in the dark and others were crippled by mechanical faults.

It was an investigation which drew the ire of city MP Hugh Bayley who called on the faults to be addressed as a "matter of great urgency" labelling the cameras York's "first line of defence against crime".

Coun Ann Reid, pictured, who is responsible for all highway maintenance, said moves were now well advanced to bring the upkeep of all 59 street cameras under one blanket contract.

"I am delighted that the cameras are all now in working order and would confirm that recent discussions mean that, in the future, there is sufficient money in the budget to ensure that the cameras will continue to be maintained at an appropriate level," she said.

In January 2005, we reported how a catalogue of faults were said to be dogging more than one- third of the entire CCTV network.

Police sources told us about the state of York's eyes in the sky after we revealed how a vicious mugging on a 24-year-old video shop manager went unrecorded near Ouse Bridge because an overlooking camera was broken.

We learned 11 cameras in busy shopping streets, notorious late-night hotspots and popular car parks were not connected to recorders.

Another six near York Station, Micklegate, George Hudson Street, Parliament Street and Clifford Street were said to be faulty and "virtually blind" at night.

Broken movement, focus and zoom mechanisms on five cameras, including the busy Ouse Bridge camera which was totally broken, were also said to be a problem.

Many cameras were poorly positioned when first installed, while others were more than ten years old.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Labour transport spokeswoman, said: "I would hope we would get regular reports at council meetings about the running of CCTV cameras which will identify any repairs and any difficulties with contractors so we don't end up with this situation again."

A City of York Council spokeswoman, said: "The city's CCTV network is in full working order, and has been for several months.

"Although a small number of the cameras have developed very minor faults over the last couple of weeks, they are all able to record high-quality images.

"Engineers were on site first thing this morning and we expect repairs to be completed by tonight."

How we broke the story

WHEN we decided to identify the faulty cameras in York, we laid ourselves open to the accusation of encouraging criminality.

But brawlers, vandals and thieves had already got away scot-free due to the failure to properly maintain and manage the CCTV network.

Many readers supported our decision to print and York MP Hugh Bayley called on the faults to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Days later, a leading figure asked council leader Steve Galloway whether our story had benefited local criminals.

Kevin Booth, editor of the Evening Press, said then: "We stand by our decision to identify cameras with problems. It was important that ordinary members of the public were aware of those not providing proper cover.

"Only recently, we have carried stories about attack victims who discovered that what happened to them was not captured on film. They said it was like being mugged a second time. We didn't want anyone else to have to feel that way."

The faulty cameras incuded...

1 The busy Stonebow junction with Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

2 Crichton Avenue junction with Kingsway North, Clifton

3 Fishergate

4 Union Terrace car park (three cameras)

5 Monk Bar

6 Piccadilly opposite the car park entrance

7 Castle car park

8 Barbican Centre looking towards the Edinburgh Arms.

9 Ashton Park children's playground

10 Leeman Road junction with Station Road looking towards York Station.

Updated: 09:58 Monday, January 09, 2006