Balfour Beatty benefits from its successful CCTV Citywatch programme in Southampton

Balfour Beatty benefits from its successful CCTV Citywatch programme in Southampton

Balfour Beatty Living Places has increased the scope of its service delivery for Southampton City Council with additional responsibility for the city’s CCTV systems. The increased service delivery builds on a strong relationship with the council following four years of successful CCTV provision.

The integration of additional services into Balfour Beatty Living Places’ contract is set to enhance efficiency and achieve greater cost savings for the council, whilst also providing residents with a safe and pleasant environment to live and work.

Balfour Beatty Living Places will continue to manage ‘Citywatch’, the city-wide 24/7 CCTV public safety and traffic monitoring control hub, with the additional scope seeing the provision of CCTV systems for a 19 housing block area and the management of each block’s door entry points. The concierge service for the housing blocks, which was previously operated by the council, will see a Balfour Beatty Living Places management team located within the Citywatch office, monitoring the blocks’ internal and external CCTV. Running in parallel with Citywatch, the concierge service provides additional security for residents and housing management teams working in and around the housing blocks through the CCTV monitoring and door entry management.

Balfour Beatty Living Places will also continue to act as an essential point of contact for the Police, monitoring the city’s CCTV and supporting the emergency services in keeping the city safe through real-time alerts and liaison.

Additional support provided through the contract‘s increased scope includes extended help point management of the toll booths on the Itchen Bridge, which will be managed remotely from the Citywatch offices overnight; as well as CCTV management of the council’s bus lane enforcement scheme.

Amanda Fisher, Managing Director, Balfour Beatty Living Places, said, “Balfour Beatty continually assesses how we can add value for our customers and the communities in which we work. Our long-standing relationship with Southampton City Council has enabled us to identify areas which can be improved to achieve greater cost savings, heightened staff and resident safety, and enhanced service delivery. We are pleased to be using our local knowledge and expertise to support Southampton City Council in ensuring the city is a great place to live and work.”

Colin Perris, Service Manager and Supplier Experience, Southampton City Council said, “Southampton City Council outsourced the service delivery for public realm and traffic CCTV to Balfour Beatty Living Places in 2012. This combined operation, branded Citywatch, has developed into an award winning service, securing a number of awards including ‘Operator Team of the Year’. It was a logical step for Balfour Beatty Living Places to take on other elements of CCTV managed by the Council in order to deliver further cost savings. The transition has gone smoothly and the integration of the CCTV services is already bringing benefits to the city.”

Balfour Beatty Living Places was appointed to the ten year contract for public safety and classic CCTV provision in 2012 and works in long-term partnerships with local authorities to create great places to live, work and play. By actively engaging with local people to understand the needs of the communities they work in and shape the places where local economies can thrive and grow. A leader in sustainable working, diversity and social value they use their expertise to bring real, positive change for customers.