MORE businesses will be able to secure their premises after Bathurst Regional Council resolved to give them grants for closed-circuit television (CCTV).
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In the seventh year of the Bathurst CCTV Funding Program, council resolved to give five businesses the maximum amount of $500.
The successful businesses were McDowell and Co, Healthworld Fitness Club Pty Ltd, Beard Brothers Motorcycles, Veritas House, and Total Image Cosmetic Clinic.
The announcement of the grants comes not long after a break-in at Beard Brothers Motorcycles, where two motorbikes were stolen and the showroom was left in disarray.
It was the second break-in at the new premises, which the business moved to less than 12 months ago.
Councillor Warren Aubin referenced the incident when talking about the funding program at last week's council meeting.
"Everyone probably saw that on Facebook that they were [robbed] again and if it's not for CCTV in their premises - I did read that they caught somebody - they probably wouldn't have caught anyone, so it's a really good thing and everyone should be applying for this funding if you've got a business because it's very worthwhile," he said.
Since introducing the grants program, council has approved 86 businesses for funding.
With new businesses being approved, it is expected that 73 will have installed CCTV at their premises as a result of the program. A number of businesses have lost their funding for failing to complete the installation and some have asked to be withdrawn from the program.
Businesses who receive funding through council's program have to agree to have their CCTV network registered with the police.
Council had allocated $10,000 to the program in the 2021-22 financial year.
The remaining $7500 will not be reallocated elsewhere, with council resolving to consider it a cost saving as it deals with the financial impacts of COVID-19.
Cost saving measures have helped to lessen the impact of COVID-19, with council able to cover approximately $524,000 in losses it experienced in the September quarter alone.
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