QUESTIONS have been raised over the effectiveness of the CCTV system on one of the borough's biggest housing estates after the council refused to reveal how many of its cameras were broken or useless.

Residents have complained about the number of broken security cameras on the Orchard Estate in Woodford Green for several years, many of which are alleged to have remained unfixed for months at a time.

The issue was raised by councillors at the last meeting of Area Two committee on Tuesday, November 10, in which concerns were also expressed about the 'poor' quality of footage supplied by those cameras that are operating.

The Guardian decided not to run the story until we had clarified the exact proportion of cameras that are either broken or providing poor quality footage - but have been repeatedly denied this information by Redbridge Homes, which maintains the estate.

The organisation claims to have carried out recent upgrades on cameras on the Orchard Estate but that it was looking for alternatives to upgrading the entire system which would cost around £200,000.

This newspaper has since spoken to residents who are angry that the authorities will not come clean over the true number of cameras out of action.

Mum-of-three, Laura Dawkins, who only recently moved away from the estate after her mum Christine Allen was killed in a lift accident there in August, said it was 'well known' among residents that many of the cameras were not functioning properly.

She said: "It doesn't surprise me that they didn't give out the information because it's well known that lots of the cameras don't work.

"This isn't something that's just happened, this is something that's been a problem for ages.

"They're supposed to be there to keep people safe. Lots of people have complained about the cameras.

"They have been in that state for a good few years now."

A grandmother-of-seven, from Navestock Crescent, who did not want to be named, said the cameras had not worked properly for more than ten years.

She said: "It doesn't surprise me that they won't give you the real numbers that are not working.

"They seem to be working in some places and not in others.

"People around here know full well which ones work and which ones don't and have told the council about them, but nothing seems to have been done about it."

A spokeswoman for Redbridge Homes said: "Redbridge Homes has 35 cameras on the Orchard Estate. We have only been made aware of one occasion where an incident occurred and there was no footage.

"This year we helped the police with a successful prosecution on the Orchard Estate using the footage from one of our cameras.

"We have recently upgraded a number of cameras on the Orchard Estate and are continuing a programme of works for continued security.

"To fully upgrade the current system would cost in excess of £200,000. We are however looking into alternatives to ensure value for money without compromising the safety of our residents."