Buckingham councillor says unused CCTV post represents a 'phallus to failure'

Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) has said that there are no plans for a CCTV camera on Lace Hill roundabout two years after installing a post for one.
The camera-less post on Lace Hill roundaboutThe camera-less post on Lace Hill roundabout
The camera-less post on Lace Hill roundabout

Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) has said that there are no plans for a CCTV camera on Lace Hill roundabout two years after installing a post for one.

The steel post has stood unadorned in the middle of the roundabout since the start of 2017, in what councillor Robin Stuchbury described as “a phallus to failure.”

In a statement to this paper, BCC cabinet member for Transport, Mark Shaw, said:

The camera-less post on Lace Hill roundaboutThe camera-less post on Lace Hill roundabout
The camera-less post on Lace Hill roundabout

“Although I am aware that a post exists, there was never any specific planning requirement for CCTV to be installed by the developers. We have no plans for any future installation, but will keep things under review if circumstances change.”

The Lace Hill roundabout was redesigned as part of a large housing development originally approved in 2009 for 700 new homes, including affordable housing.

While we have been unable to find a specific reference to a camera in the plans, other evidence appears to indicate that the intention was to have CCTV on the roundabout.

Unused post aside, there are also town council committee meeting minutes publicly available where BCC Transport representatives are present and discussing the CCTV camera.

This paper has also seen an email from Mr Shaw to a member of the public regarding road safety concerns following an accident where he unequivocally states that there will be a CCTV camera on the roundabout in the future.

Responding to this evidence, Mr Shaw added to his original comment:

“We were clearly talking about installing CCTV at the time, however things can and do change.”

County councillor for Buckingham West, Charlie Clare, said:

“These works do pre-date me somewhat, but something has clearly gone wrong when there is a redundant pole standing in the middle of the roundabout, and frankly I'm not a fan of the way the lines are painted either. The pole is clearly a wasted investment, but it wasn't paid for by tax-payers money and, as such, and I am focused on trying to make sure that similar issues don't reoccur at the Tingewick Road roundabout currently under construction.”

If you have any ideas what the post could now be used for since a CCTV camera is no longer in the offing then please write in and let us know.