POLICE and the city council are on collision course over who pays for spy camera coverage in Worcester.

The standoff could mean times when no one is monitoring the city's large CCTV network.

That is a cause of concern because, although some people are uneasy about the Big Brother intrusiveness of security cameras, there is little doubt that they play an important role in fighting crime.

The city council puts £140,000 into police coffers annually to ensure CCTV rooms are staffed to watch over 63 city centre cameras.

Police do not pay a penny towards staff wages; they take responsibility only for providing manpower. Now they want more money to keep the service at its present level.

The money pays for the equivalent of seven full-time employees, but the same funds will only pay for five full-time workers in the spring.

City councillor Paul Denham said: "The whole purpose of the police is to prevent and detect crime. Surely they should put something towards it? They should pay for the staffing."

Coun Ian Imray said: "The council can't afford to pay any more, or hit the taxpayer in order to raise extra money.

"The police do not pay anything towards CCTV in Worcester. The problem is the £140,000 we pay is worth less and less each year. I agree they should make a contribution.

"We've looked at a range of options, such as charging businesses to have CCTV on their own patch, but have left it with the police."

The yearly sum is set at the start of each financial year and is paid to the police quarterly.

Worcester City Council leader Coun Stephan Inman said: "CCTV is vitally important and discussions are at an early stage."

He refuted suggestions that CCTV coverage in the city could be compromised as a result.

He said: "We hope there will be more interested parties and as a result we may even be able to improve coverage."

A South Worcestershire police spokesman said: "We are aware - and highly conscious - of the short-fall in the funding for the CCTV facility for Worcester City centre, accounted for by increased salary costs.

"It must be acknowledged that this is a unique partnership arrangement, where

a council-owned TV system is located in the police station, with the operating staff being managed by the police but funded by the city council."

The statement said police would work with the council on providing CCTV with the available funding.