A resident has said they are concerned for their safety after an investigation found some council-owned CCTV cameras are currently out of use.

Georgie Davies* told the Ely Standard she felt "at risk" after discovering a camera she believed had recorded her involvement in a hit and run was switched off. 

Freedom of Information data obtained from the City of Ely Council by this newspaper revealed that of the city's 29 CCTV cameras, 25 were operational. 

A council spokesperson confirmed that four CCTV cameras had been switched off as a result of "power issues", a fact Ms Davies disputes. 

The student said her car was badly damaged in the Waitrose car park on Brays Lane and will be forced to spend thousands on repairs. 

She added: "I parked in the car park with plenty of space, thinking that there would be plenty of room for other cars, but when I returned  there was a huge dent in it. 

"I contacted Waitrose in the first instance as they had their own cameras in the car park and would be able to get the footage for me as part of my insurance claim, but I didn't hear anything for two weeks.

"Eventually, I discovered that the cameras in the car park were dummies and that my best chance would be to try the City of Ely Council-owned camera, so I got in touch with them.

She added: "When I spoke to the council, the person I spoke to said the camera had been switched off for two months.

"They refused to give a date and claimed that it had been switched off following a vote by 15 councillors, not because of a power fault.

"From a professional I've spoken to, the external damage could cost around £500, but the interior damage could be a couple of thousands of pounds."

Ms Davies said the situation has left her "worried" about using the car park in future and expressed concern that other parts of Ely may not be covered by CCTV. 

The City of Ely Council refused to disclose the location of the cameras currently switched off as part of this newspaper's FOI request. 

She added: "Knowing that there are cameras that don't work in Ely makes me feel really uncomfortable because what's to stop a crime from being committed by a camera that isn't even switched on. 

"It leaves me worrying that if something were to happen, it would make investigating much more difficult. 

"I feel devastated that I can't just sort out the repair of my car through insurance because I've worked so hard for it, and I'm just not going to be able to afford to get it fixed."

A spokesperson for the City of Ely Council said: "The City of Ely Council manages the CCTV cameras throughout the City and strives to keep them operational at all times. However, there may be instances where some cameras are temporarily out of service due to external factors beyond the Council's control.

"Currently, the Council is upgrading and expanding its CCTV coverage. We appreciate the public's support and understanding during this process, as some cameras may be non-operational while work is underway.

"The first phase, which includes upgrades and some relocations, is expected to be completed by the end of November. Following this, the Council will proceed with the second phase, which involves installing additional cameras.

They added: "The primary goal of the CCTV system is to deter crime. It’s important to note that the Council does not hold responsibility for many areas covered by the cameras, such as car parks within the City."

*Names have been changed.

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