Burnie City Council has asked for private tenders to design and install a "hot spot based" CCTV security system which they hope will lower the rate of property crimes and assaults in the downtown area.

The council decided to fund the installation of the camera themselves after numerous requests for Federal and State funding made over several years were ignored.

"We will be the only city council in Tasmania with self- funded security cameras," Burnie City Council general Manager Paul Arnold said.

"The budget has been set at around $150,000 for this financial year, with room to move in next year's budget for further costs."

Mr Arnold said the council expected these funds would provide about eight cameras, with fibre-optic technology allowing the locations of the surveillance units to be regularly changed in accordance with crime `hot spots.'

While not specifying what locations would be on the list, Mr Arnold indicated that busier late night thoroughfares would likely be near the top.

He also said that while the location of some of the cameras would be well known, others would be less obvious to the naked eye.

Andrew Barry, President of the Burnie Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), described the installation of the cameras as "long overdue" and expects them to have a positive effect on both Burnie's business community and the safety of residents.

Mr Barry also said he would expect the BCCI to have some input into the locations of the cameras, although he conceded these eyes-in-the-sky would inevitably have some blind spots.

"The BCCI would be supportive of the widest, most cost effective coverage," he said.