A CONTRACT to operate crime-fighting spy cameras that overlook dozens of Ribble Valley streets has been renewed despite concerns over the company that runs the scheme.

Ribble Valley councillors this week agreed to extend a contract with Norfolk-based company Broadland Guarding Services to run 28 CCTV cameras in Clitheroe and Whalley.

The move follows concerns, expressed by council officers, that the working relationship with the company became strained after its contract manager was changed seven times in three years.

The authority is now considering taking over the service or offering it out to tender in a bid to save cash.

However, council engineers stressed that the four-man team which operates the CCTV monitoring office from a secret Clitheroe location offer a first class' service, and their only problem has been with the Norwich-based management team.

The £600,000 system went on-line in December 2002 and is made up of 25 cameras in Clitheroe and three in Whalley. The council owns the cameras and office while Broadland provides the workforce and footage is passed to Clitheroe police.

Graham Jagger, the council's streetscene manager, said: "There is absolutely no criticism of the people who man the monitoring office they have been first class.

"However, we have had problems because the company have had seven different contract managers, which has made working with them somewhat difficult.

"The original contract was to run until March 2005 with an option for a further two years, but last year it was only extended for one year because of these issues.

"However, after 12 months of improvement we now felt it appropriate to recommend using them for at least another year."

Councillors have asked officers to report to the planning committee on the possibility of bringing the service in-house' or being put out to tender.

Mr Jagger added: "We might end up transferring it to ourselves or re-tendering the contract."

No-one from Broadland Guarding Service was available for comment.