DUDLEY Council bosses say they are drawing up plans for six new CCTV units to be installed in Lye as part of a £1.7million upgrade of the borough’s camera network.

New cameras have been installed in Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, Dudley and Halesowen town centres, with Sedgley town centre and Castle Gate and Dudley's Coronation Gardens also set to get state-of-the-art new CCTV set-ups.

Meanwhile, council chiefs say key positions in Lye are being carefully planned for the cameras following detailed analysis of the area - with help from the police.

Councillor Laura Taylor, Dudley Council's cabinet member responsible for community safety, said: "Lye is the latest busy town centre to be added to the roll out and I am delighted that we can help make shoppers and traders feel safer.

"The new cameras are a significant investment in tackling crime and boosting safety and I am sure they will be welcomed by everyone in Lye."

The upgrade programme is the biggest overhaul of closed-circuit cameras in the council’s history and replaces old and outdated cameras, which have suffered repeated breakdowns and costly repairs.

It is being carried out in partnership with police and the new cameras will be capable of producing more detailed images to help with evidence gathering.

A new high tech, highly secure control room is also being built as part of the scheme and discussions are underway to add traffic cameras to the programme of work.

Residents in Lye, which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, say the cameras can't come soon enough.