Great Yarmouth Borough Council wins award for new seafront noise-detecting camera

At the society's John Connell Awards 2024 at the Palace of Westminster, hosted by The Lord Balfe, the council was praised for its efforts to tackle noise pollution with the camera.

The John Connell Awards are open to government, local government, industry, organisations and individuals throughout the UK and Europe. The awards recognise innovative services, campaigns, products and programmes that are examples of community co-operation, education and creative solutions to solve noise pollution problems and improve soundscapes.

The site for the camera, close to St Nicholas Car Park, was selected following a public consultation and money for the initiative came from a £149,000 grant to Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Norfolk Police from the Government's Safer Streets Fund and was allocated by the county's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). The money was then match-funded by the council.

The public consultation showed 65 per cent of respondents strongly supported the proposed locations for CCTV cameras in the town and 79 per cent said the cameras make them feel safer.

The sound-activated camera aims to reduce noise from anti-social drivers - including from revving engines, street racing, playing excessively loud music and using popping exhaust pipes. It is equipped with microphones and automatic number plate recognition technology and is designed to reduce noise disturbance and enhance community wellbeing.

Councillor Paul Wells, Great Yarmouth Borough Council's portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste, said: ''We are delighted that our noise-activated camera has been recognised with this award.

''We know our residents have long-been troubled by a small minority of inconsiderate drivers on the seafront, some of whom behave illegally. The award is recognition for the council's whole-hearted commitment to improving the quality of life for the people of Great Yarmouth.

''I'd like to thank all of our partners involved in this project, including the police and PCC. Without their valuable support the camera would not be in place.''

The camera, which cost about £25,000, was supplied by Intelligent Instruments which installed it and trained staff in its use

Since its installation this summer, police have sent 26 educational letters to drivers reminding them they are driving in a way that may have breached the town's Public Spaces Protection Order.

One driver has also been prosecuted for careless and inconsiderate driving after admitting the offence. He received three points on his licence and a fine.

Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Sarah Taylor said: "I am glad my office was able to support this innovative step in addressing the ongoing issue of anti-social driving in Great Yarmouth.

''This trial sought to understand what steps could be done to better address this issue, and it is clear from my discussions with police officers there are a number of lessons that can be learned from the Great Yarmouth project, to create an even better response going forward.

''Based on the emails I have received, anti-social driving has a negative effect on people across Norfolk. I'm looking forward to exploring how the approach can be developed further in the coming months and to see if this, or a similar approach, could potentially be rolled out elsewhere in the county."

The awards are named after the Noise Abatement Society's founder John Connell OBE, who lobbied the Noise Abatement Act through Parliament in 1960 when noise became a statutory nuisance in the UK for the first time.

Known as the 'Noise Oscars', the awards are in their 23rd year and acknowledge the importance of the quality of sound in people's lives, and champion vital advances in reducing the negative impact of unnecessary noise for the public benefit. More than 450 recipients from local authorities, industry, organisations and individuals have now been honoured for the significant impact they have made to improve the aural environment.