COUNCILLORS want to increase car parking charges to pay for a town's new CCTV system.

Ribble Valley Borough Council has submitted a bid for £572,151 in funding from a pot of cash being made available under the Crime Reduction Programme.

A further £72,000 will come from the borough council and Lancashire County Council for the scheme in Clitheroe.

If successful, the scheme will involve the replacement of eight existing cameras in Clitheroe town centre, with an extra eight being posted around the town, including in car parks, and four in the grounds of Clitheroe Castle.

The five cameras at the Clitheroe bus and rail interchange will be linked to the scheme, with new cameras being placed in Edisford and Whalley, along with three mobile CCTV units which will patrol the whole valley.

It is hoped the new cameras in the car parks will raise the facilities to national 'secured car park' standards.

But although the cost of the cameras, ducting and installation could be paid for by the government, annual running costs will have to be paid for by the council -- to the tune of £54,225 per annum. Although annual donations will be received from organisation including Clitheroe Chamber of Trade, Whalley Chamber of Trade, Lancashire Police and Whalley shop Frames and Pictures, the council plans to raise the bulk of the extra cash by putting up parking charges at several car parks.

A 10 pence increase across the board would be introduced if the CCTV scheme goes ahead -- with drivers using car parks at Railway View, Lowergate, the Market, Chester Avenue and Edisford, Clitheroe all expected to stump up.

Further donations from Whalley Parish Council, three supermarkets in Clitheroe, Clitheroe and Whalley Licensed Victuallers' Association and Whalley businesses have been pledged as well.

David Morris, chief executive of the council said: "These issues have been considered carefully by the policy and finance committee, who backed the bid when they met on Tuesday.

"There is no guarantee the final bid will be successful but we need to have everything in place if it is.

"We are also hopeful that more businesses will come forward and pledge money. It is in all our interests to get this scheme off the ground -- and the councillors want everyone to bear that in mind."