Two local Auckland Council candidates have created an action plan to tackle rising crime rates and improve community safety across the city.
Howick Local Board member Bo Burns and incumbent Howick ward councillor Paul Young are campaigning together for seats on the council’s governing body.
They’ve created a crime-reduction plan they’re revealing just a week after five adjacent businesses in Howick’s Moore Street were targeted by a group of offenders.
That incident is part of an ongoing crime wave across Auckland that’s included numerous ram-raid and smash-and-grab burglaries and robberies of businesses.
Burns and Young say they’ll push to implement their crime and safety plan should they be elected to the council at the local-body elections in October.
“We personally know businesspeople who have been impacted by recent ram-raids and burglaries.
“We’ll advocate for a safer community and city through a strategic and achievable five-point plan to reduce crime in our area and regionally.
“Our plan is robust, effective and it will make our community feel and be safer.
“This community and our local businesses need confidence back and to not be fearful any longer.
“Our plan will be a step forward in improving people’s quality of life.”
The duo say the first plank of their plan is to accurately recognise key issues around crime and safety in east Auckland.
“We’ll talk to police, the local board and local and regional community stakeholders to gather crime data to identify what’s driving the current spike in crime.
“Secondly, we’ll push council departments for emergency regional funding to be available to support practical crime and safety measures that businesses can access.
“We’ll pursue realistic ideas that support our police to connect with groups such as ratepayers and residents’ associations, Neighbourhood Watch, and others to share information quicker around the latest crime hotspots.
“We will also work with Auckland Transport to identify areas where security cameras are needed.”
Burns and Young say the third step in their plan involves seeking regular feedback on crime and safety issues from the community as they arise.
They’ll provide solutions in line with the local board’s plan so locals feel safe, engaged and connected.
“This plan will have timeframes and will be accountable to ensure steps are followed through in a timely manner,” they say.
“Fourthly, we’ll push for council funding and grant programmes to be developed and accessible to businesses and community groups to implement cameras, bollards and other effective safety measures.
“As well as having new security cameras installed in key areas, we must ensure all public spaces are sufficiently illuminated at night.”
Burns and Young say the final step in their plan involves a yearly review of how it’s working.
“It’s vital we as councillors hear what people are saying so we have all relevant information in this joint effort to tackle crime and make our community safer.
“Our local police do an outstanding job but they cannot be everywhere at all times.
“The Howick ward needs two councillors who will work every day to make our community safer. We will do that.”
