BRIGHOUSE will become the first town in Calderdale to have CCTV paid for directly by the council.

Cash for the spy-camera system is guaranteed following wrangles at Calderdale Council's budget meeting.

Conservative councillors had agreed a to a feasibility study, but a last-minute move by Independent councillors firmed up plans to draw £50,000 direct from council revenue over the next two years.

Clr Colin Stout (Ind Brighouse) said it was important that the town had a system in place to help with police prosecutions if necessary.

He added: "The Conservatives had agreed to a feasibility study, but had not decided where the cash was coming from."

He said grant support was out of the question for Brighouse because, like a number of other Calder Valley towns, the area was not classed as `disadvantaged'.

Rastrick Conservative councillor Paul Rogan said the funding news was excellent.

He added: "We are really motoring forward on this now. All the hard work put in by everyone involved has paid off."

Revenue of £10,000 has been earmarked for the next financial year and £40,000 for the following year with capital already in place.