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Plan It Safe: Partners in community safety
Who are your partners in community safety? _________________________________________________________
Jane Jacob, 1964 Public places are complex. They are often designed, planned, managed and used by a number of different groups. For example, consider your bus/rail interchange. City Rail is responsible for the railway station, the train service and some carparks. Your council is responsible for other carparks, surrounding streets and the maintenance of bus stops. The Department of Transport is responsible for the design and construction of the bus stop. Telstra is responsible for public phones. The local bus company regulates the bus transport service. A number of businesses operate close by. Security may be sub-contracted to a private company. Police monitor and respond to crime in the area and people use the facility. Many different groups of people have an interest in and responsibility for, this public place - these are the stakeholders. Each stakeholder must juggle a number of different priorities and interests. To improve safety in public places, we need stakeholders to work together. The most important partners for women's safety are:
Women _________________________________________________________ Women in the community have important local knowledge. Their experiences of fear of crime, actual crime or safety will help to define the community safety issues an area has. Active community participation in any safety activities is crucial. Women's involvement in developing solutions and in decision making on safety issues is also important. Community members also have a responsibility to communicate their concerns and issues to safety forums and other community groups. For example:
Remember, the more active you are, the more likely it is that your concerns will be heard and addressed.
Local women's services _________________________________________________________ Sexual assault services, domestic violence services, women's resource centres and women's health centres all work with women who have experienced violence. They have extensive knowledge about violence against women. They also have considerable experience in working to improve women's safety. They are very important community safety partners. Regional Violence Prevention Specialists _________________________________________________________ Under the NSW Government Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women, 17 Regional Violence Prevention Specialists have been appointed throughout NSW. These Specialists can help develop community projects to reduce violence against women in domestic and public places. Regional Violence Prevention Specialists can provide information and assistance in creating safer communities. They can help build local networks, and co-ordinate responses to violence against women. They are also an invaluable link between local and community initiatives and senior government personnel. For a list of contacts see Chapter 7.
Some changes may be quite simple. Others will be more involved. So it can be useful to spend time learning about what you can expect of all the different agencies. You'll also have to figure out what resources and changes are needed to make your community safer. It can be a very political process and may take some time. It is important to set up some guidelines for the group, record understandings and background. That way, you get some consistency and if someone leave and is replaced by someone new, you don't have to start all over again. Liz Reedy - Safe Women Project Local Council _________________________________________________________ Local councils are the most important regulators of public places. As such, they will be your most important change agents in public safety. What is local government? There are 177 local government areas (LGAs) in NSW. Wherever you live, you will be within an LGA. Historically, the main role of councils was to provide basic services and infrastructure for property and land use. As our towns and cities have grown, and development has increased, our needs and priorities have also changed. Local government has gradually expanded its role to meet these demands. Today, your local council plans and develops your community. Councils may preserve nature and protect waterways, provide roads and calm traffic, provide a collection service for recycling and much more. They also provide many new services such as child care centres, youth workers, meals on wheels, and community festivals. [2] What determines council roles and responsibilities? The roles and responsibilities of local government are set out in state legislation. The most important pieces of legislation are the Local Government Act 1993 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. Local Government Act 1993 The Act contains details of what councils are supposed to do, what powers it has, how the administration of the council should be carried out, and who it is accountable to. The Act enables councils to work directly with their community to determine the goods and services that will be provided. Under the Local Government Act 1993, councils have two main kinds of regulatory functions. 1 They can approve or refuse proposals to make changes in the area. This may include a proposal to:
2 A council can order or instruct a person to do something - for example, a council can order someone to demolish a building that has been erected without approval or they can instruct someone to keep fewer animals. Details of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 are contained below. Other pieces of legislation which regulate the way councils operate include:
From street lighting to alcohol free zones, councils manage many of the day-to-day matters which impinge on women's safety. Your council plays a major role in determining the characteristics of the neighbourhood you live in. For example, councils :
- footpaths and local roads - open space, parks, gardens and playing fields - public toilets - street furniture - for example, seating, litter bins - street lighting - councils arrange for electricity providers to install according to their instruction
- existing buildings - streetscapes
- removing graffiti from public places - repairing any damage from vandalism, or wear and tear
How is your council organised ? Councils are made up of a number of different departments which have responsibility for different council functions. Each council has different departments, depending on the council's size and priorities. When developing strategies which aim to make public places safer, a number of different departments will be involved. For example, responsibility for lighting in parks may be with the Works Department whereas lighting at the bus stop may be with Transport. Similarly, the department responsible for planning and building a facility may be different from the department which manages and maintains it. A recent discussion paper prepared for Brisbane City Council contained an example of how safety activities can be spread across the whole council. Aspects of community safety were identified and then matched with the departments responsible. The diagram on below shows the outcome.
Source: Brisbance City Council's Potential for Crime Prevention and Creating Safer Communities. Adapted by Munroe (1996) from a concept developed by Bronny Walsh, City of Brighton, SA Dec 1995. [3]
Who is responsible for safety in your local council? Councillors and the mayor will usually respond to the strength of opinion within the community. If community safety is important to residents, then it is likely to be important to councillors. Many council staff will also be important. As illustrated in the Brisbane City Council diagram above, staff in many departments can have responsibility for community safety. Staff who will play a key role in making public places safer are the General Manager, Town Planners and Community Services staff. Having them on side will be important to ensuring whole-of-council support, and to incorporating community safety into development and forward planning. Councillors Councillors are elected by the community at local government elections. The number of councillors depends on the size of your council. Most councils are divided into wards and voters elect a number of councillors to represent each ward. In councils which do not have wards, the whole council is elected by a general election. Local government elections occur every four years (in September) and it is compulsory for all residents to vote. Many councillors are aligned to a political party. Some however, may be Independents or part of another interest group. The mayor The way the mayor is elected varies. In most councils, the mayor is elected annually by the councillors, from among their number. In a minority of councils, she or he is elected directly by voters at the council elections. The mayor can, when necessary, exercise the policy-making functions of the council between meetings. They also chair the council meetings. Council staff Some councils in NSW employ as few as twenty staff, while the larger councils can employ hundreds. Their job is to implement council policies. The type of staff employed will vary depending on the council's political priorities and the types of goods, services and facilities it provides. Most of your contact with council will be with staff members. If you want to write to council, address your correspondence to the general manager. While job descriptions vary from council to council, generally they will perform the following types of roles: The general manager Every council in NSW employs a general manager (previously known as town or shire clerk). This position is like the general manager of a private company. The general manager has overall responsibility for the operation of the council, including the implementation of policy, day-to-day concerns and staff management. Town planners What is town planning? Town planning involves determining how the land will be used (residential, commercial and open space etc), and if and when this use should be changed. Town planning has to negotiate the needs of various users to decide how land can be used in a way that is best for everyone. This usually means balancing a variety of environmental, social and economic considerations. What do town planners do? Town planners write (and implement) the design guidelines which determine the ways buildings, streets, parks, bus terminals, train stations and carparks etc, can be built. Town planners work in federal, state and local government. Some work for private companies. Local council town planners make sure that proposals for new buildings meet planning laws. This is called development control. Town planners also do strategic (or forward) planning. They consult with communities to identify their problems, concerns and needs. This includes anticipating how an area will change over time, so future needs can be planned for. A plan to improve the safety of an area would probably be written by a forward planner. How do town planners work with other council staff ? Town planners work closely with other council staff. Engineers and building inspectors help town planners assess proposals for new buildings. Community services staff Community services staff work closely with different groups in the local area and have a good understanding of their needs. Some councils have specialist youth, ethnic, disability, aged and children's services workers. Community services staff care about 'people issues'. Community services staff also advise town planners. Why is a whole-of-council response best for community safety? Effective community safety action will ideally involve co-ordination across the whole-of-council. A co-operative response will be able to achieve:
How do councils regulate the urban environment? There are three important documents which guide the way councils do things. These are:
The Management Plan The management plan is developed by council and outlines its strategic direction. The plan is developed each year, and outlines proposed activities for the next three years. The management plan sets out council's priorities, its aims and objectives, and how it intends to achieve these aims. It contains details about the projects which council will be involved in and the services and activities it will promote. It also contains details of proposed capital works, performance targets and a revenue policy. The draft plan must be displayed publicly and comments from the community have to be considered by the council before it adopts the plan.
Development Control Plans Development Control Plans (DCPs) are policy documents developed by councils which contain standards for development in their area. They set standards for particular issues or types of developments. For example, an area may have a DCP for medium-density housing development, a DCP for parking and car parks, a DCP for the development of childcare centres in residential areas and a DCP for community safety. A DCP is a guide to those who want to propose development. It tells them what they have to do to get council approval for a development application. For example, a DCP can say that all development proposals should include certain types of lights. When making a decision on a development application a consent authority must take into consideration any development control plan in force. Although they are very important documents, DCPs are not legally binding. Environmental Planning Instruments In New South Wales, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EP&A Act) 1979 has established three levels of planning instruments which are legally binding. These include: 1. Local Environmental Plans (LEP) These plans are specific to an area and can be made to cover all of a local government area (LGA) or part of it. They can also be made jointly by two or more councils for land within their areas. They usually contain zoning tables outlining the type of development which can proceed. 2. Regional Environmental Plans (REP) These are plans which place a regional regulation over a number of LGAs. For example, in the Sydney Region - REP No. 18 protects a tract of land which is to be a Public Transport Corridor. This land is within a number of different LGAs and aims to improve access to public transport links between Parramatta, north-west and south-west Sydney. 3. State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP) These are plans which are made by the Minister for Planning and cover issues of importance to the whole state - for example, SEPP No 5 which includes standards for the development of housing for aged and disabled persons, or SEPP No 44 which protects koala habitats. Councils cannot approve any development which contravenes the requirements set out in these planning instruments. Other plans which need to be considered in making the decision to approve an application are:
How are development proposals reviewed by Council? Before any development can proceed, it requires approval by an appropriate authority, known as the consent authority. We will assume for our discussions, that this is the local council, but it may also be the Minister for Planning or the Director General of the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. A development application is made The first step in obtaining approval for a development is to submit a development application (DA) to the council. A development application is the proposal for a new building, a change to an existing building or a change to the use of a building or site. (Please note that this process refers mainly to development of public places. The process for private, residential development may vary.) Town planners review the application The application is assessed by council staff by referring to their standards documents. For example, does the application meet the minimum standards in the DCP? Does it comply with the regulations set out in the planning instruments? This process is usually done by the town planner. She or he may work in collaboration with engineers, building inspectors, community services staff etc. If there are any public submissions or expert opinions from professionals such as heritage architects and social planners these are considered and discussed in the report. The recommendation Once the town planner has assessed the development application they prepare a report to council. The report contains a recommendation about whether the development should proceed or not. The final decision is usually made by councillors at a council meeting. A simple proposal may not go to a council meeting but be decided upon by council staff. This can only happen if the councillors have made the necessary prior arrangements, called delegation. The outcome The possible outcomes are that council will:
Councils cannot refuse a development application which is made by the Government. Only the Minister has this power. What if the applicant is not happy with the council's decision? If a council refuses an application or insists on conditions that are not required by an EPI or DCP, then the applicant can appeal to the Land and Environment Court. Why is this process important for community safety? For a community safety advocate, this process provides a number of opportunities. Your council may be committed to safety and have community safety in their management plan. Perhaps they have developed a safety DCP. This means that minimum standards for safety have been set and will apply to every new development which takes place in your area. For example, South Sydney Council is developing a Safer Design Policy which the case study below indicates. In this instance, you may take a watchdog role. Are all safety standards being adhered to? Is women's safety incorporated into the DCP? Do the requirements of the plan and the DCP help to reduce fear etc? If there is little commitment to community safety in your council, then you could take opportunities to register your safety concerns when the development application is being assessed. Or you could lobby for changes when the annual management plan is being developed. Section 6 contains more information about how to get your views heard by council.
How can I find out if my local council is committed to safety? Talk to council staff There are a number of people you talk to. First of all, see if your council has employed a Community Safety Officer or a Crime Prevention Officer. If it has, start by talking to them. If they have not employed specialist safety workers, ask if there is a safety or crime prevention committee or someone who is co-ordinating safety activities. You could also talk to the general manager, community service workers or social or town planners. Ask if you can review their safety plans, and ask them whether any of the initiatives focus on women's safety. Review the management plan Use this checklist to see if safety issues are incorporated into the plan:
Review staff, programs and policies
Review council activities and documents The following actions can help you to find out more about ongoing council activities:
Councillors make the final decisions about whether to endorse new policies, change existing policies or approve development at regularly convened meetings of the council (sometimes a council committee will make a recommendation which is then debated at the full council meeting). These full council meetings are chaired by the mayor and are usually open to the public. Each council meeting has a Business Paper which outlines the issues to be discussed at the meeting. Copies of the business paper must be made available to the public prior to the meeting. Once a policy has been developed or a recommendation has been made about a development application, it is submitted to an ordinary meeting of the council. Councils are obliged under the Act to notify the community of development proposals. They may do this by putting up public notices, advertising in the local newspaper, distributing a newsletter, or inserting information into rates notices. At this point, the community can comment and have input into the policy. These views and comments are taken into consideration before a final policy is referred back to the council meeting.
As well as their own views and research, a councillor's decision may be influenced by:
It is important to remember that councillors are politicians. Re-election relies on public opinion, so things like press coverage are important. Councillors will want to respond to community concerns. Local journalists regularly attend council meetings. If a controversy has developed journalists from major papers may also attend. How can the community participate in these decisions? One of the principles of the council's charter is that councils should facilitate the involvement of residents in decision-making. The community can participate in council's activities and decisions by:
Local councils take great delight in announcing that they are the level of government closest to the people but sometimes they have to be reminded about what people really want. It is your democratic right to influence council policy.
Police _________________________________________________________ The police are very important regulators of safety. It is their job to respond to crime and enforce the law. The primary responsibility for preventing and addressing crime remains with police; however, there is increasing recognition among the NSW Police Service that creating safer communities requires community support. As Senior Sergeant Phil McCamley from the NSW Police Service says:
Snr Sgt Phil McCamley - Ask Any Woman video The NSW Community Safety Management Plan was developed by the Police Service in 1994 and promoted the following community safety activities:
Police have done some important groundwork into community participation in crime prevention and community safety. The Safer by Design program has promoted awareness that inappropriate urban planning can create opportunities for crime. This program has recommended that the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) be incorporated into urban planning and design. Police have provided much of the knowledge to local councils about how to implement CPTED. The future of community safety for police in NSW The NSW Police Service has just released its new community safety strategy - entitled Safer Communities, which confirms an ongoing commitment to community safety activities. Commitment to local partnerships in safety Safer Communities promotes community policing strategies which are developed to respond to local needs. It also stresses the importance of safety partnerships. One of its aims is to:
The strategy recommends that Police Commanders work with local government to create local crime prevention forums. If councils are unable to support local community safety, then the NSW Police Service will act as a catalyst to initiate Community Safety Committees. [6] Police are a key partner in community safety. For example, police may stress the importance of removing 'problem' design elements, but they must then work with local council and planners to carry this out. A commitment to reducing community fear of crime Reducing community fear is recognised within the Strategy as a project which the committees might undertake. Working with the police Police usually respond to crime after it has been committed. Police will usually know a lot about the technical aspects of crime prevention. They have access to a great deal of information, which can be very useful in understanding certain aspects of community safety. As Liz Reedy said:
Police can be very helpful with alcohol management. They monitor the licences of hotels, pubs and clubs etc. and prosecute the pubs when they breach the licence conditions. However, their primary role is to address crime. Police are not necessarily aware of the complexities of the causes of crime, nor is it their responsibility to come up with social strategies to address them. Working as part of an interagency partnership to prevent crime will be a relatively new approach for many police, as it is for everyone.
Police understanding of women's safety varies. On the one hand, police have been responding to domestic violence and sexual assault for a long time. Knowledge of these crimes may help police to understand why some women feel unsafe in their communities. On the other hand, many women have expressed reluctance to report violent and sexual crimes to police because they fear the response they will receive. Many women have reported that some police acted as though they did not believe them. Some women report that they felt some police did not take them seriously, or the police tried to blame the woman. Many women from non-English speaking backgrounds and Aboriginal women have reported receiving racist and discriminatory responses. Police response to women's safety varies from officer to officer. There are many police today who provide adequate services to women. There are also many police who work to reduce violence against women. And there are others who remain sexist and racist in their responses. Understanding women's safety and what is involved will be as much an education process for many police as it is for others. The Safe Women Project's experience suggests that some police appear more comfortable addressing crimes such as burglary and car theft than they do sexual harassment and sexual assault. Police need to provide a consistent and supportive response to violence against women. For women, knowing that police will believe their story, and respond in appropriate ways will not only improve safety. It will also help to reduce fear.
_________________________________________________________ Community organisations are well placed to assist members of the community to participate in the decision-making. They may:
Businesses including hotels _________________________________________________________ Business managers are responsible for the public place their business occupies, including their clients or patrons. For example, the hotel licensee is crucial to developing strategies to manage alcohol. There are many things they can do to encourage responsible consumption of alcohol. They can also stop patrons from consuming alcohol on the street. Similarly, the manager of a methadone clinic may make decisions about service management which will minimise factors such as clients all arriving at once, and having to hang around on the street. All businesses can play an important role in safety solutions. The Chamber of Commerce _________________________________________________________ There is a Chamber of Commerce in most central business district (CBD) areas. As an organisation, it brings the business community together on a regular basis to discuss business concerns. Every Chamber of Commerce is interested in seeing more people use their town, both day and night. The Chamber of Commerce is often well connected to local council and can have considerable influence and say about a local area. They are a very important partner in local safety strategies. City Rail _________________________________________________________ Railway stations, transport interchanges and train travel, particularly at night, are often unsafe for women. City Rail controls a very important community asset. So City Rail is a crucial partner in safety initiatives. Local bus and taxi companies _________________________________________________________ Transport services play a significant role in the ease of movement of community members. The length of waiting time, the number of services offered, the location of waiting places, the efficiency of services, drop-off and pick-up points are all important safety issues. Sometimes, making changes to these services may help to reduce fear and improve safety. To enable local transport companies to respond helpfully they need to be involved in safety forums. They are also crucial partners in creating safer public places. The Department of Housing _________________________________________________________ The Department of Housing will be important partners in safety if there are housing estates in your area. The Department currently has a Neighbourhood Improvement Program in operation. They are working on a number of place management projects to redevelop some housing estates and make them more livable for tenants. These projects are considering social development strategies as well as rebuilding areas. They are keen to work in partnership with other agencies interested in safety in your area. Further reading _________________________________________________________ Department of Urban Affairs and Planning 1995, Best Practice Guideline - Development Control Plans Department of Urban Affairs and Planning 1995, Best Practice Guideline - letting people know Hauritz, M. and Homel, R. 1997, Brisbane City Council Community Safety Program Discussion Paper Centre for Crime Policy and Public Safety, Griffith University New South Wales Local Government Act 1993 No. 30 NSW Police Service 1997, Safer Communities - the future of community safety in New South Wales Pearson, L. 1994, Local Government Law in NSW, The Federation Press School of Planning and Urban Development University of NSW Planning Law and Practice for Councillors Worpole, K. 1992, Towns for people Open University Press Philadelphia Endnotes _________________________________________________________
__________________________________ | Introduction | Women Talking about Safety In Public Places | Community Safety and Women's Fear Of Crime | Partners In Community Safety | A Community Safety Forum | From Wasteland To Heartland | Raising The Issue Of Women's Safety In Your Community | Contacts | |
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