BUSINESS leaders have urged the city council to decide the future of Salisbury's promised new CCTV as soon as possible after Wiltshire Council switched off the cameras last month.

"Get on and agree your negotiations quickly," was the message sent by the Salisbury BID board to Salisbury City Council after a meeting on Wednesday.

Having no functioning CCTV is "unacceptable and jeopardises the safety and the future of this important city," board members said.

The BID, which represents Salisbury city-centre firms, has trained Citywatch volunteers ready to operate the new system as soon as it is installed.

It comes after Wiltshire Council promised Salisbury a new fibre-optic CCTV system worth £500,000 to replace the one it abandoned last August and switched off in June.

The talks have stalled in recent weeks, after Salisbury failed to win a "hostile takeover" of Laverstock and Ford parish, which would have secured more council tax to help pay the running costs of the camera network.

This failure prompted city council leader Andrew Roberts to declare the asset transfer deal "dead in the water" and neither fair nor affordable.

Salisbury BID director and manager of the Old George Mall Jon Osgood said: "Whatever the outcome of the asset transfer, our message to both councils is that a decision on procuring the new system must be made within the next few weeks and at the latest by the end of August.

"We have a fantastic offer, a strong local economy, and we have worked hard to join the daytime economy together ensuring that the city is a vibrant place to do business.

"We have the important Purple Flag status, a recognition of a safe and welcoming city from 5pm to 5am.

"The emphasis on the installation being complete is essential before the busy lead up to the busy Christmas period to ensure the continued safety of Salisbury residents and the protection of our businesses.

"Our board represents the whole city, so the message is pretty clear – get on with it, the city needs CCTV again, and quickly."

Salisbury's new police chief, Inspector Pete Sparrow, has also spoken of his disappointment at the current situation and called for a swift resolution.