Nightly security guard patrols have been removed from Dundee city centre, The Courier understands.
Guards have patrolled City Square and the surrounding area on 12 hour shifts for several years.
Patrollers were asked to check in at points throughout the centre while attempting to curb anti social behaviour.
Now it’s claimed the patrols have been dropped by Dundee City Council.
Night shift cover on the council’s Dundee House building has also been removed, it’s said.
Dundee City Council refused to elaborate on the reported changes, citing “security reasons” for the refusal.
However the administration notes “changes to security arrangements at Dundee House and City Square” in its annual budget report.
The changes, the administration claims, will involve “improved risk management and more effective use of technology (which) will enable increased efficiency in this area”.
But The Courier has been informed by an industry source that a long-standing security arrangement for guards to patrol both the city centre and Dundee House has been withdrawn.
In 2014, figures emerged showing the council spends around £40,000 every year on security guards for City Square.
At the time, Councillor Will Dawson, city development convener, said: “Costs of vandalism and graffiti have greatly reduced since security was introduced at City Square.
“The presence of security helps to protect property, while offering reassurance for staff who work in the square.”
Earlier this month, figures were published showing the administration has spent £250,000 on maintaining CCTV cameras in Dundee over the last four years.
In the last financial year alone, the council paid £69,371.33 refurbishing some of its 87 cameras.
The most recent update from the local authority shows there are currently five with “minor faults” which are not working.
The peak expenditure came in 2013/14 when £74,046.12 was spent maintaining the cameras
Commenting on the figures, Daniel Nesbitt, research director of Big Brother Watch,said: “Dundee City Council should be regularly reviewing its CCTV network and if the cameras aren’t making a difference then they should be scaled back.”
