SOME people in Devizes will be dismayed at the news that the Kennet Community Safety Partnership has decided not to pursue the CCTV scheme for the town.

The partnership's working party claims a survey of the town, which only produced ten responses, shows it does not want CCTV.

If that is the case then the town has only itself to blame for letting the opportunity slip through its fingers.

The traders who have collected 140 signatures on a petition calling for a CCTV system to tackle vandals and shoplifters, might have done better to persuade people to respond to the partnership's survey.

We suspect though that even if all 140 had returned forms printed in the Gazette earlier this year, the partnership would still be facing the one obstacle even public support would struggle to overcome paying for the system.

Police are now investigating how much a mobile system would cost but it seems doubtful if such a system, which would basically be a camera in the back of a van, would really be an effective crimefighting solution, although it may at least be a deterrent.

Until a proper solution that meets with support from all areas of the community is found, the harsh truth is that Devizes and Marlborough will continue to be easy picking for thieves driven to them by effective systems in other areas.

Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Swindon and even Wootton Bassett have cameras in operation.

All of them have seen a reduction in crime and surveys that tell them the people who live there feel safer on the street and happier to spend time there after dark.

Meanwhile Devizes town centre can sometimes be a dangerous place on a Friday and Saturday night. Ask those who have been viciously attacked in the town centre or outside pubs in recent months.

It still may not be too late to persuade the safety partnership to change its mind but if the town remains locked in apathy then it will only have itself to blame if it suffers and increase in crime and violence.

At least in Marlborough there looks to be more of a will to change things and if campaigners continue to lobby they will surely get their way. Which of course will leave Devizes firmly stuck in the dark ages.