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Safety award welcomed The Latrobe Valley Neighbourhood Renewal Program was awarded a Certificate of Merit and $3000 prize in the 2003 Australian National Crime and Violence Awards presented at Queens Hall, Parliament House, Melbourne on Wednesday By Latrobe City Council - 11th December 2003 - Back to News Local partners involved in the award winning Neighbourhood Renewal Program in the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards have welcomed the recognition bestowed on the community through the presentation of the award.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Graeme Middlemiss, said the award recognised the value of partnerships between the community, Police, supporting agencies and levels of government.
"This is an initiative that empowers the community and as a result of this program, significant progress has been made towards breaking down perceived barriers and generating a spirit of cooperation between the various partners," Cr Middlemiss said.
"The result is a win-win situation for all that can only lead to a safer, more cohesive and harmonious community," Cr Middlemiss said.
Victoria Police Inspector, Chris Notman, said people’s perceptions of public safety had improved as a result of the program.
"Residents are speaking positively about where they live and becoming more involved in their community," Inspector Notman said.
"The Neighbourhood Renewal Program has been the impetus for this change, for empowerment of residents and development of community leaders. These communities are now setting directions, developing strategies and harnessing their resources to demand the services they deserve.
"I am impressed with the community leaders’ drive and commitment to improve their community and make it a safer and better place to live," Inspector Notman added.
Latrobe City’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hancock, also hailed the award.
"Latrobe City Council welcomes the National award and acknowledgment, specifically the safety and wellbeing strategy developed between residents and agencies. This highlights the importance of community safety promotion, its relationship to health, wellbeing and sense of community connectedness in all neighbourhoods within Latrobe City," Mr Hancock said.
Latrobe City’s Community Safety Manager, Henk Harberts, said residents in neighbourhood renewal areas had been the driving force behind the development of the community safety and wellbeing strategy. "They have worked closely with local agencies to come up with a realistic plan for the future," Mr Harberts said.
"Neighbourhood Renewal initiatives include such things as better public lighting, or working together on street beautification," Mr Harberts explained.
"It’s also very much about awareness and communication, tuning in to the various support programs that can improve the quality of life such as those offered by Council or the Latrobe Community Health Centres; and encouraging people to report vandalism and crime.
"All of this helps build neighbourhood pride and individual commitment towards the neighbourhood. As a result people demonstrate their real involvement in the community and display an enhanced sense of care about what is going on in their community," Mr Harberts said.
The four Neighbourhood Renewal sites are; Morwell East, Traralgon East, Moe Heights and the Glendonald Estate in Churchill.
The prize money will be re-invested in further crime prevention measures after consultation with local residents.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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