Criminals are being warned there’s 'nowhere to hide' as Dudley Council looks set to invest another £150,000 in its CCTV network.

Plans are being drawn up to invest further cash in the multi-million-pound system. It includes proposals to spend £60,000 over three years on 12 deployable cameras to target hot spot areas for fly-tipping and other anti-social behaviour.

There are also plans to bring 23 existing traffic cameras onto the network to make them multi-purpose and widen the reach of the system. It will see a further £90,000 invested over the same period. Councillor Laura Taylor-Childs, cabinet member for housing and communities, said:

"This latest investment in our CCTV network shows we are continuing to work to make this borough as safe as we possible can. People living here or visiting the borough expect nothing less.

"Previously, the traffic cameras would have just monitored the roads but we can refurbish those and make better use of them under this programme of work.

"The deployable cameras will help us target specific areas where there have been particular problems such as graffiti, fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

"These cameras are crucial in gathering evidence to prosecute these people who make the lives of others a misery. Adding them to the wider network of static cameras really does mean there is nowhere to hide if you’re going to break the law."

Last year the council spent £94,000 clearing fly-tipping. So far 21 people have been caught and fined a combined £9,000. The council captures images of people dumping rubbish and shares them online as part of its You’ve Been Shamed initiative and is asking members of the public to name and shame them.

People can find out more at dudley.gov.uk.