Southend-on-Sea City Council in Essex is looking into using new sound detection cameras that can listen for screams and loud cars to help stop anti-social behaviour. These cameras would be added to the city’s current security camera system to automatically tell staff in the control room when certain noises are heard.
The technology uses smart software to identify specific sounds such as human screams, spray paint cans being used for graffiti, and very loud vehicle exhausts. By spotting these sounds instantly, council officers hope to respond to problems in the city centre and residential streets before they get worse.
This plan follows a meeting of the Policy and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee in February 2026 where council safety and infrastructure were discussed. Between 2023 and 2025, the council received more than 3,300 complaints about noise, but officers were only able to issue 86 legal notices to stop it.
The council approved its new budget for 2026/27 in late February 2026, which focuses on improving the city and investing in local people. While the cameras are being considered as part of these safety goals, the project has not been fully started across the city yet.
If the project goes ahead, the cameras would provide a new way to help Essex Police and the council’s security team keep public spaces safe. The aim is to create a more efficient way to gather evidence for taking action against people causing a nuisance in the community.
