FAQ

“Community safety influences all aspects of daily life: where we live, recreate and socialise, learn, work and participate. It provides a foundation for our long term choices and decision-making processes at the individual, family, community and societal levels.” (Dr Carolyn Whitzman, 2006, University of Melbourne).

Manningham City Council views community safety as a community that is connected, safe and empowered to make choices for their own safety and the safety of others. 

Community safety is not only about reducing and preventing crime; it is also about people feeling safe. Perceptions of safety, real or perceived, can often impact how safe a person feels and also how they interact within their community.

People feel safer when they are connected with their community; when they have confidence in local laws and policing; and when they are well informed, engaged in making their own choices and confident in their own abilities and actions (i.e. empowered).

There are many issues and factors that can impact community safety.

A Community Safety Plan provides an opportunity to coordinate community safety and crime prevention initiatives, addressing locally identified issues. Some of these issues include:

• safety in the home 
• feeling and being safe in public places 
• road and pedestrian safety 
• family violence 
• graffiti/property damage
• drugs and alcohol 
• risk of injury 
• public transport safety
• bullying
• cyber safety
• water safety
• youth disengagement 
• fire and flood

In order to support the Manningham community in being connected, safe and empowered Council has developed this Community Safety Plan which builds on the work previously undertaken through the Manningham Community Safety Plan 2009-2012 which is specific to the issues, locality and population of the local Manningham area.  

 The draft Manningham Community Safety Plan 2013 - 2017:

• outlines the role of Council in relation to community safety;
• provides a framework to address community safety in Manningham across all relevant organisations and levels of government;
• summarises the key community safety issues for the municipality; and
• outlines how these community safety issues will be addressed and evaluated (Action Plan).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizes community safety as a key factor in improving health and wellbeing outcomes. It also emphasizes that broad partnerships at a local community level are essential to address the factors which may threaten community safety. The WHO’s Manifesto for Safe Communities states that “all human beings have an equal right to health and safety”.

The overall goal of the Manningham Community Safety Plan is “To have a connected, safe and empowered community, where people feel safe and are informed to make choices for their own safety and the safety of others”.

Five key priority areas for community safety in Manningham have been identified.  They are in line with State and Federal Government community safety and crime prevention directions and were developed through research and consultation.

 The Action Plan is divided into these five priority areas:

• Priority area 1: Positive perceptions of safety
• Priority area 2: Strong community partnerships
• Priority area 3: Safer home environments
• Priority area 4: Safer public places
• Priority area 5: Safer roads

In preparing this Plan, consultation was undertaken with a range of key stakeholders, including the Mannningham Community Safety Advisory Committee.

The Manningham Community Safety Advisory Committee has representation from: Victoria Police, Neighbourhood Watch, Doncare Community Services, Manningham Community Health Services, Manningham YMCA and Department of Early Childhood and Education, Councillors and Council Officers.

In addition, the following Committee’s, networks and organisations were consulted on current community safety issues from both a local and regional perspective:

• Manningham Graffiti Steering Committee
• Manningham Family Violence Reference Group
• Manningham Youth Forum
• Manningham Mental Health Working Group
• Manningham Seniors Reference Group
• Manningham Access & Equity Advisory Committee

Research was also undertaken into Federal, State and Local Government directions in community safety including:

1. The National Crime Prevention Framework, which was released in 2012 and prepared by the Australian Institute of Criminology on behalf on the Australian and New Zealand Crime Prevention Senior Officers Group. The Framework states that “crime prevention is an effective approach to reducing crime. It is internationally recognised as an important component of a national approach to building safe and secure communities”
2. The Parliament of Victoria: Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee completed and reported (June 2012) on an inquiry into locally based approaches to community safety and crime prevention.  The recommendations specific to the role of Local Government were considered in developing this Community Safety Plan. One of the key recommendations is that Local Government Community Safety Plans should be based on evidence and local safety issues with an emphasis on strengthened partnerships within the community.
3. The Department of Justice Victoria has established a community crime prevention unit within its Corrections, Health and Crime Prevention Division. Its role is to support the work of the government’s crime prevention portfolio, including management of the Community Crime Prevention Program which provides grant funding to communities to address local crime issues.
4. The State Government has established Regional Crime Prevention Justice Reference Groups across Victoria.  Their purpose is to build partnerships with a focus on crime prevention at a strategic level across all levels of local, state and Federal Government departments, Police and local organisations with the aim of supporting local communities to take an active role in preventing crime in their own neighbourhoods and towns
5. The Eastern Justice Reference Group has developed a draft Eastern Metropolitan Community Crime Prevention Plan which will provide a strategic regional approach in addressing community safety and crime prevention issues.

The information collated during the research phase was considered during the development of the draft Manningham Community Safety Plan 2013 - 2017.

In addition, consultation was also undertaken with Council Officers & key stakeholders who are identified as having specific responsibilities within the updated Community Safety Action Plan 2013 - 2017.