FOUR ambitious bids worth hundreds of thousands of pounds were submitted to the Government today in the hope of providing more than 30 CCTV cameras across Redditch.

The project, set up by Redditch Community Safety Partnership, is more than double the size of the £310,000 town centre scheme.

The partnership has been working on the bids for months to submit them before Friday's closing date.

The news comes after the Redditch Advertiser reported the group was looking to provide CCTV cameras in a number of areas across town.

Woodrow, Church Hill, Matchborough and Winyates shopping centres, Batchley, Headless Cross, Trafford Park, St George's and the Arrow Valley Lake Countryside Centre have all been highlighted in the bids.

The group, which includes the police and Redditch Council, will hear whether the first round has been successful in January before having to submit a more detailed application.

Councillor David Cartwright said: If we get through the first stage, we'll have to put more detail in a further bid and we should know by April to have something in place by autumn 2001.

The cameras will be linked to a main CCTV control room in the town hall, which will also cover the town centre system.

Mr Cartwright said: We're very hopeful the bids will be successful and they will go a long way to making these areas feel safer and cut crime.

A total of £15,000 has been pledged from neighbourhood groups and the private sector to provide the cameras.