Cr Andrew Guile said he came to this “reluctant” decision because costs associated with CCTV would see Shoalhaven ratepayers needing to contribute more than $625,000 for the election promise to be delivered.

“I’ve always been a supporter of CCTV but you’d have to be nuts to back it under this funding arrangement,” he said.

“Shoalhaven has had a chequered history on CCTV, spending well over $100,000 in legal costs defending the right for council to implement them in the Administrative Decisions Tribunal. 

“The result of that action is a costly bureaucratic process that our ratepayers are being called upon to fund. Even council’s choice of equipment has been criticised by local experts. Even the staff report cast doubt on the costs of this project. The competence of council to deliver this is as a ‘best value’ project is in doubt,” Cr Guile said.