Council disappoints Chamber on CCTV

The President of the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Mr Matthew Wales has expressed disappointment at Gosford Council's decision not to support an application for funding to the Federal Government for CCTV in Ettalong, Woy Woy and Umina.

"Mayor Laurie Maher has recently written to the Chamber stating that it is not in a position to provide support for the CCTV application," Mr Wales said.

"The Chamber has worked for the past 12 months collating costs and information, working with the NSW Police Brisbane Area Command, State Member for Gosford Ms Marie Andrews and businesses who desperately want resources to fight crime and anti-social behavior in our town centres and around the Umina Surf Club.

"This is extremely disappointing news especially as the Mayor had indicated in April of this year that he would ensure Council staff would be made available to complete the lengthy and time-consuming application process.

"Council was best placed to do this as they had already undertaken a similar process for the Gosford town centre CCTV".

Mr Wales was critical of the council's constant focus of the Gosford town centre and the apparent lack of interest in anti-social behavior problems on the Peninsula.

"Whilst we sit back and watch the success story of Gosford CBD with their newly introduced CCTV cameras, our business operators in the Peninsula retail centres have to cop to the continued law and order problems," Mr Wales said.

"As usual, we are viewed as the poor cousins down here.

"And just to top it off, Wyong Council recently announced that they have supported a CCTV grant application to the Federal Government for The Entrance town centre supported by their Federal Member Ken Ticehurst.

"We will continue to lobby Jim Lloyd MP and councillors in the hope that they will see commonsense.

"In recent years, the Chamber has supported The Web Youth Centre, the PCYC and many youth programs but the anti-social behavior in the town centres and damage to surf clubs is on the increase.

"We need CCTV in order to assist the NSW Police Force identify perpetrators so that they can combat these sorts of crimes in our communities."

Press release, 12 Sep 2007 Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce