CCTV cameras in Westhoughton will continue to be paid for by the town council for the next two years.

The seven cameras, which cover the town centre including Market Street and Pavilion Square, cost the town council £6,568 a year.

Conservative councillor Phil Ashcroft has in the past voted for the cameras to be axed following similar action by Horwich Town Council. He reiterated the call at the Westhoughton Town Council on Monday evening.

He said: “We should get rid of them. They are costing the residents too much money.”

Councillor David Chadwick said he did not agree and called the cameras “important”.

He added: “When you talk to the police they are very much in favour of the CCTV and consider it a deterrent and very useful.

“I would wish to continue to maintain this important facet.”

Town councillor David Wilkinson said the town had a long struggle to get the cameras initially and they remain a “useful tool”.

He added: “There is the argument that it is not effective, but I think it is.

“I agree that they will not deter a bunch of criminals. If they want to do something they will do it and there will always be that sort of situation, but CCTV as a whole is effective.”

Last year Cllr Ashcroft sparked a debate about how long the cameras were operational, after it was revealed the cameras were not working when an armed robbery took place at the Co-op in Market Street last January.

It was revealed that of the seven cameras which each provided 12 months of film, 13 months of footage were not covered.

However Cllr Chadwick said other towns were “envious” of the CCTV that Westhoughton has. He proposed recommending the town council agree to a two-year contract with BT for the cameras to remain in place.

The town councillors voted in favour of the proposal with one objection by Cllr Ashcroft.