Council applies for funding as petition numbers grow

Central Coast Council has undertaken to apply for funding from the Federal Government's Safer Communities Fund to make the area around Umina Oval including the skate park, walking and cycle tracks, playground, public toilets and open parkland safer at night.

Central Coast mayor Cr Jane Smith said in an interview with local ABC breakfast announcer Mr Scott Levi on Tuesday, November 7, that staff were working on a funding proposal.

Council staff have confirmed that "Council is applying to the Federal Government to install more CCTV cameras in the Umina Beach area".

Over 740 signatures have been gathered in a week on a change.org petition in support of improving safety in the area.

The petition said: "We the undersigned are very concerned by the ongoing crime and vandalism taking place in the Peninsula Recreation Precinct and surrounding streets.

"The precinct and car parks at the end of Sydney Ave and Melbourne Ave are not safe places to be at night.

"The ongoing break-ins of houses, local businesses and vandalism of park facilities is not acceptable and must be stopped.

"The violent fights, abuse of alcohol and illicit substances by minors, leading to the hospitalisation of young people after serious fights is alarming and a damming reflection of the lack of activities for teenagers on the Peninsula and the lack of Police resources to curb this dangerous behaviour.

"We want to see the precinct become a safe and crime-free zone as soon as possible.

"We appeal to Central Coast Council to apply for $1 million in Federal Safer Communities funding: to install solar powered flood lights in the precinct, Umina, to light the precinct every night of the year and deter youth crime and violence; install additional CCTV cameras in the precinct to monitor activity and catch vandals and perpetrators of crime and violence; restore existing broken CCTV cameras; fund additional random security monitoring of the area from a new security contractor; conduct community initiatives to provide real lasting solutions to youth anti-social behaviour in Umina; retrofit the abandoned football club on Umina Oval as a youth centre and venue for teenagers to socialise and connect with community services in a fun and inviting way, especially on weekends and school holidays.

"We appeal to the NSW Government to: increase funding and resources for Woy Woy Police; install a 24-hour police station in Umina CBD; and provide additional Police patrols to the Peninsula and Umina."

Petition organiser Ms Gabby Greyem said she presented a similar 400-signature petition to Central Coast Council in May 2016.

SOURCE:

Media release, 7 Nov 2017

Gabby Greyem, Umina

Website, 10 Nov 2017

Petition, Change.org