New CCTV cameras to help in the fight against crime in a Norfolk town have moved a step closer with the calling of a meeting to discuss setting up a company to run the surveillance system.

The South Norfolk Community Safety Partnership, which has been overseeing the project, has called a meeting at the Waterfront Inn in Diss on either April 19 or 20 to discuss creating a Community Interest Company (CIC) to supervise the project to potentially install cameras in the Market Place and Mere's Mouth in Diss.

So far, 14 businesses in the town have expressed an interest in the cameras after the partnership delivered leaflets around the town centre asking traders if they would be prepared to contribute �10 a month towards the running cost of a CCTV system and if they would be interested in joining a CIC.

The leaflet stated a CCTV system would reduce crime by deterring criminals, reduce the fear of crime to shop staff and members of the public in the town centre, create a secure trading environment, increase police detection rates by identifying offenders and give visitors and residents increased confidence about visiting the town centre, which would raise the numbers coming in.

A Norfolk police report suggests installing CCTV could reduce the number of crimes from 351 to 261 per year, while saving the police �56,254.