THE landlord of one of the borough’s largest estates has gone to the limit of the law in refusing to reveal how many of its CCTV cameras are working.

Redbridge Homes has refused a request under the Freedom of Information Act to disclose how many, if any, of the 35 cameras installed on the Orchard Estate in Woodford Green still function.

The council owned organisation, which is responsible for more than 4,700 tenants, said that revealing how many of the cameras worked would be “likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, and the apprehension or detection of crime.”

Director Dale Walker added: “It is considered that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.”

The highly unusual move was received with anger on the estate where there have long been suspicions over whether the cameras are maintained.

David Redgrave, 55, of Liston Way said: “I sometimes go to the tenants’ association meetings, and there's talk there that most of the cameras on the outside aren't working, maybe three-quarters of them.

“The ones inside work, because you can watch them on your telly, but I wouldn't be surprised if the outside ones were all broken.

“You really need cameras around here, especially in entrance ways like the one to my building. There's no lighting and it gets very dark at night.”

Cheryl James, 35, of Lambourne Court added: “The council probably doesn't want to say how many cameras are working because they're all broken.

“I had a fall on some icy steps the other day and when I was describing where it happened to the council, I told them it was right by a CCTV camera and they should be able to see it on tape. But it turns out that one wasn't working.”

The Guardian is to appeal against Redbridge Homes’ decision.